A Different Kind Of Truce
by JacklyinKarst
Summary: Paula Crock gets herself a new boyfriend. While things go great at the start things quickly head downhill. Can her daughters and ex-lover make her see the light? Warning: mentions of domestic abuse
1. Prolouge

Prolouge

* * *

In all her years, Paula Crock had only been with a few men. She had two boyfriends through high school and married her partner after falling in love with him during training in the League of Shawdows. But now their once happy relationship was gone and had ended. Fizzled out and become meaningless. She never would have guessed that she fall in love again. And she certainly never thought she'd make the same mistakes again. She had met the man for whom she had newly fallen for, in a completley different way then she had met Lawrence. She was at her lawyers office after her sister died a few months ago. The contents of her weathy sister's will had just been released and Paula was apparently on it. She was in the waiting room, whcih only had six chairs, three on either side and very little to look at or do, when a handsome gentleman around her age came in and sat beside her. He smiled largley at her and winked. In spite of herself she blushed at bit. No one ever looked at her with anything but pity since her accident. A few minutes later, her lawyer came out to speak to her.

"Good day Ms. Crock. How are you?" Her stuffy lawyer, whose name was Stan asked her primly. Paula always found it entertaining to talk to this man since he was enourmously guliable and his reactions were priceless.

"Thanks Stan, and I'm well minus the giant eagle in my apartment." The man next to her stiffled a laugh by turning his head and covering his mouth. Stan looked appaled.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked placing a hand over his heart. Before Paula could respond, the handsome man cut in.

"It's quite a problem actually. American Bald Eagles are comming in through open windows and catching fire on stove tops. It's quite a tragedy." Now it was Paula's turn to laugh into her arm, pretending to be coughing.

"My word! Why haven't I heard of this before?"

"It's a government coverup. No news station is allowed to broadcast it!" the man said cheerily, winking at Paula.

"Yes, they paid those who complained handsomely to keep quiet." she added. Stan shook his head.

"It's things like these that make me homesick for the Canadian North. Now Ms. Crock shall we get down to business?" Paula nodded and wheeled her chair over toward Stan's office. The man smiled and waved at her as she left.

* * *

The office was small and cramped with many books on law and heirs. The desk was a mirror of it's posseser; shiny and proper with a name tag that read: Stan Merkins, Attorney at Law. Paula thought it was pretensious and found it all very amusing.

"Alright. The last will and testament of Suzane Nguyen, last changed on the fifteenth of November. To those the enemies I left behind, I give you my trouble and debts as well as all the unfortunes in the world. Death didn't make any less of a vindictive woman then life. So screw you karama, I'm already dead. To my loving neices, Artemis and Jade. I know that you probably won't be able to hear this, so I hope you mother will tell you. Jade: while a life of crime is fun, it's no subsitute for a real family. You shall receive your third of my one million and 52 thousand dollars when you no longer where that adorable cat suit of yours. Try and remember that. Artemis: Never stop questioning everyone about everything. Stay independant and sassy like you aunt. Spend you third of my fortune wisely. Maybe get yourself a deccent archery range to practise on without your over reacting father breating down your neck. Fianlly to my dearest sister: You were the shining light of my life. You deserve a far better man then that creep Lawrence, so use your third to get a makeover, find a guy and fall in love. I loved you all except for those I didn't. You know who you are. It's time for me to go now, so don't bother me again." Stan looked up from the letter to see the crippled woman laughing and crying at the same time.

"That's Sue for you." They talked for a little while about the finner point, when the money would arrive, the trust fund for Jade, ectera. Finally they said goodbye and Paula wheeled herself to the door. To her surprise, the handsome man was still waiting outside.

"Your still here? And I thought wait times at the emergency room was long." The man smiled again and rose to meet her.

"Actually, I was waiting for you." Now the rational side of Paula's brain was being overridden by the part of her that was still listening to her sister's last words. And so she shut down her guard for the first time in a long long time.

"Oh? And why would you do that?" she asked. This time his smile was coy.

"Well... don't think me too forward, but, I kinda wanted to get to know you more. My name's Norman. Norman Oswald." Paula grinned and stuck out her hand. He took it and kissed it. While the action was cheesy and a bit creepy, Paula smiled a bit bigger.

"Paula. Paula Crock. You aren't perhaps a secret agent are you?" Norm giggled, and nodded.

"Good to know. And no, unfortunatley I have no licence to kill and my drinks are prefered stirred." Paula laughed out loud and Stan stuck his head out of his office to glare at the pair. Still chuckling, they moved outside.

"So can I buy you a cup of coffee?" Norman asked. Paula said yes. Everything went down hill from there.

* * *

Being the prolouge this is probably the shorest chapter I'll post but others will be longer. I'll try my best to post once or twice a week and since i have no life, thats probably attainable! R&R and tell me if I should continue! :D


	2. Chapter 1

At the begining everything was wonderful. Norm and Paula went out on dates at least three times a week. Going out for dinner, getting ice cream, walking through the park. (A pistol safely strapped to Paula's thigh of course.) Artemis was happy for her. She really was at the start. But something was in the back of her mind. A small voice that constantly nagged her that something was off. But Aretmis hadn't seen her mother this happy in years. But the warning bells were begining to ring. After two weeks of dating, Paula came home with no money in her wallet, something she had always tried to avoid. It happened every night for a week before Artemis said anything.

"Norm is running a little on cash that's all sweetie. He get's his paycheck in a few days and then it'll be fine." Not wanting to comprimise her mother's happiness, Artemis let it drop. But a few more weeks later, Artemis noticed that her mother was favouring her left arm while cooking.

"Mom? Is everything alright?" the archer asked gently before taking the heavy frying pan. Paula subconsiously touched her arm.

"Of course." She said firmly. Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"You're not having trouble with your left arm or hand?" Ok so not the most subtle interrogation technique, but she wasn't the dectective on the team now was she.

"No. Now go clean up for dinner." Taken aback by the harsh tone, Artemis qucikly fled the kitchen without question. She went into the bathroom and ran the tap before tip-toeing back down the hall. She peered around the corner and scaned the kitchen. Her mother had momentairly forgotten about the food and was hunched over in her seat. Her right hand cradled the left and the left sleeve was pulled back three quarters up her arm. Large bruises and angry red marks littered her arm. Without thinking, Artemis rushed back into the room.

"MOM! What on earth are those?" she demanded. Paula wheeled around to face her after yanking down the sleeve. Her face was livid.

"Artemis! I thought I told you to go clean up. These are nothing. I fell the other day, while you were on patrol with the team."

"Why did you lie to me?" Artemis asked feeling a bit hurt and a lot angry at the world. Her mother just narrowed her eyes.

"Because I didn't want to worry you. I know how it feels when you think a loved one is in danger." A deep feeling of guilt seeped into Artemis and her face flushed a bright pink. Since meeting Norm, her mother hadn't been waiting up for her after missions and training. That didn't bother Artemis much but she didn't realize it was because she was worried. She dropped her gaze and looked at her combat boots.

"I... I don't... I didn't know it worried you so much." Paula's gaze softened and wheeled her chair closer so that she could lift her daughters face.

"Artemis. I am so proud of you. Of course I going to be worried for you. But I would be so much more worried if you were following your fathers path. I just didn't want to add to your worries." Artemis felt the guilt seep in a little more.

"I know. I love you mom. Let's go to bed."

* * *

A few weeks later, the marks had long disappeared, and Norm and Paula were still going strong. Using some of the money that Paula had been left, the Crock girls cleaned up the apartment a bit. The furniture was replaced, new appliances were installed and the curtains were changed. But that voice in Artemis' mind was still nagging her. She had yet to have a real conversation with Norman besides the two words conversations before he and her mother went off for their date. One day, when Artemis didn't have a mission and Paula was running late, they finally sat down on the new couch. Artemis had answered the door and invited him in. He sat down on the couch, and turned to her. While he was sitting comfortably but still attentive, Artemis slouched into the comfortable fabric.

'So Artemis..." He tried bravely. Artemis was not going to humor him. Her natural distrust of people and her suspisions did not make her a hospitable host.

"Yes?" she said crossing her arms. Norm swallowed hard.

"Umm... your mother talks alot about you." Artemis roller her eyes.

"Considering that I'm her daughter that should be obvious." The sarcasam bitting into every word. Norm coughed.

"Uh do you have any siblings..." Artemis narrowed her eyes dangerously. 'Bad idea.' she thought. Norman got the idea and quickly changed his thoughts. "So what do you do after school?" She had to give him the fact he was persistant.

"I'm on the archery team." she said with a sigh. Norman nodded.

"Yes your mother told me about your team." Artemis bolted forward.

"What?" she said now sitting straight up. Norm chuckled and smirked in a way that infuriated Artemis. Even more so then Wally's smug look.

"Oh yeah. She couldn't shut up about how proud she was of her little girl. Especially after Jade left." Now Artemis was on her feet. Her mouth was already forming the words 'get out,' but Paula picked that moment to intrude on the conversation.

"Norman! I'm sorry I'm late! There was a huge accident on fourth." Norm stood up and went over to kiss her cheek. It wasn't lost on Artemis that Paula had an apprehensive tone hidden in her voice.

"No problem. Artemis and I were just getting to know each other. Why don't you go get changed for our date. Hurry back!" Paula nodded and went to her room. As soon as she was gone, Norm returned the superior look to his face. Artemis snarled.

"Don't you ever talk about my mother like that again." And she stalked off on her heel toward her room. Just before she could slam the door, he called out to her.

"Artemis. Let's keep the details of our disscusion to ourselves. We don't want anything slipping to the media now do we?"

* * *

When the couple left, Artemis was already on the roof, laying in the shawdows. She hated nothing more then having her misgivings proven true. The voice in her head screamed 'I told you so!' mimicking Wally. She followed them everywhere they went, always careful to keep her distance and not be seen. That was why she wasn't in costume when Robin caught her stalking a pair.

"'Mis? What are you doing in Gotham?" he asked smugly. Artemis glared and thought quickly.

"Visiting family member of mine." Robin looked down from the tree he was sitting in.

"So a better question is why are you in a bush?" He tried valiently to keep the grin off his face and only failed a tiny bit. Arty cracked each knuckle once before replying.

"I um saw a mugger from Star City and decided to trail him... yeah." she supplied before returning to her binoculars which were aimed across the street at a resturant that normally, they could never have afforded. Her mother was having a salad while Norm dinned on a rich steak. Artemis growled a bit.

"What's up?" Executing a flip, Robin joined her in the bush almost silently.

"Do me a favour? Find me all the files you can on a guy named Norman Oswald.

Robin blinked once behind his mask.

"Who is-"

"Please. I'll explain later I promise." She took a moment to give him a pleading look. Robin thought for a few seconds, before nodding. "Thanks. Now don't you have a clown, or penguin or cat to go beat up?" He smirked and dissapeared without a trace.

In the resturant, Paula was once again paying for the meals, even though she had eaten a far less expensive meal. Just before they got up to go, Norm belched loudly and haf the resturant turned to give him a distgusted look. Paula nearly hid her face in embarassment. They left quickly, and when they were about a block away, Artemis got up to follow. A few blocks into their neighbourhood, a man and woman with hood over their faces leapt out. The woman held a gun and the man stood behind her. Living in Gotham, you didn't need to hear what was being said to know what they were saying. Unless you had a certain MO or colourful costume, you tended to lack any originality. Not that the costumed villans were much better. Artemis wasn't shocked by the attempted mugging, but by the fact that the sleaze ball push Paula in front of the gun and tried to hand the attacker her wallet. The archer nearly blew cover and went to beat up the creep, but Batman interveined. After quickly dispatching the would be assailents, the Dark Knight and have a bat-glare to Norm. He impudently rolled his eyes, and wheeled Paula toward home. When they were gone from sight, Batman gave a single nod in Artemis' direction before fadeing intot he shawdows.

Panting from the sprint she took to get home before her mother noticed she was gone, Artemis flopped down onto her bed and fought back the urge to turn Oswald into her own personal game of Operation. She swalowed the urges when her mom poked her head into her room.

"Would you like to join Norm and I for tea?" Did she want to want to dress up as a Harliquinn doll and play stooge to the Joker? Hell no. But afraid of what might happen if she wasn't there, Artemis mutely nodded. She walked into the living room and positioned herself inbetween her mother and Norm. The kettle screamed and Paula went to get it. They sat in scilence, locked in a stare down that was quickly postponed whem Paula re-entered.

"Here we are." She said sweetly, passing out the cups. "So Artemis what did you do tonight?"

"Sharpened arrows. Nothing special. What did you do tonight mom?"

"It was great, we went out for dinner and-" Norm began.

"I think I was asking mom. I don't really care what you thought." Paula roughly set her tea down and glared at her daughter.

"Artemis. Apologize." she growled.

"No."

"Now."

"Really, it's alright. Just teenage hormones I assume."

"And presuming makes an ass out of you and I. But mostly just you here." Paula looked shocked and angry.

"Artemis Lian Crock, you apologize this instant!" Artemis put down her cup and folded her arms.

"I will not." Paula began to yell.

"SAY YOUR SORRY OR YOUR GROUNDED!" Artemis stood up, arms still folded.

"Don't make threats you can't enforce." Oswald coughed awkwardly.

"I think I'm going to just go. Call me later, Paula." And he slipped out the door, closing it over the sound of the screaming Crock girls. He turned to make his way outside, when he bumped into a tall broad blonde man, whose face was obscured by his baseball hat.

"Watch it." Oswald grumbled as me moved away.

Artemis stormed out of her window and up onto the roof to cool down. She had tried to accuse Oswald of taking advantage of her mother, but she fell on deaf ears. He mom simply told her that she was being paranoid and unjustly rude and nasty to Norm. Then she stormed away into her bedroom, leaving Artemis to clean up the mess. Out on the roof, a cool breeze swept her long untied hair around her face. Muttering curses under her breath, Green Arrow's second protege didn't hear the man walk up behind her.

"You're getting sloppy. A few months ago, I wouldn't have been able to breathe or you'd know where I was." The baseball cap was off now, and the wind pushed around his buzzed hair.

"Nice to see you too dad." Lawrence chuckled and stood beside her. "What do you want?"

"I want to help."

* * *

Yes I know his name sounds something like the Green Gobin in Marvel, but I feel that the name gives you an idea of his type of character! I hope you enjoyed chapter one! Tell me what you thought or if you have any ideas or constructive critisism by leaving a reveiw! :D


	3. Chapter 2

I know I should be updating Young Voice, but blame aktt11 she gave me an inspiration. Lot's of Crock family bonding! :D

* * *

For the first time, Artemis swung around to face her father. She hadn't seen him since her mom returned home from and prison and kicked him out. That had been almost two months ago.

"What are you talking about?" she growled, scrutinizing his face. Lawrence seemed to be entertained by her mistrust and hostile nature.

"At least you still know who to trust. You may not realize it, but I still love your mother, even though she kicked me out." Artemis rolled her eyes and bit back the sarcastic comment. While he never physically abused her while they weren't training but that was when they were on the same side. Now that they were technically enemies, there was no telling whether or not he would attack her if she pissed him off. And she was without her weapons.

"What's your point?" Clouds were starting to roll in over the bright moonlight, throwing everything into shawdows.

"My point is, that I'm not going to let some bastard use her for her money. Yes I know that your aunt left you girls a third of her spoils each. Your sister was never the best at keeping secrets." Her father answered her unasked question. Paula had told her to keep it on a low profile. She wanted to save the majority for her college fund. "Besides you have all new furniture in the living room."

"How the hell do you know that?" she demanded. She hated being followed. Lawrence chuckled, keeping a calm demenor.

"I noticed on the way up. When he walked out on your screaming match, I saw inside. I thought the heros were suppose to teach you how to be observant." Artemis growled and walked a few steps away. The clouds opened up and let loose the rain. It was gentle and pleasent to her skin.

"Whatever. So what are we going to do. Killing him will only make mom mad." Lawrence's voice began to fade as he spoke. The rain began to pound anyone under it, no longer gentle.

"Don't you worry baby girl. Meet me in the park I used to take you to when you were little. Listen to your mother now." And he was gone. A baseball cap covered her head and kept the majority of the rain off her face. She waited on the roof for a few more moments before returning inside, and carefully placing the hat on her pillow.

* * *

The next day, Robin caught up to her in the cave, nearly making her jump out of her skin.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me like that?" she yelled after her heart restarted. Rob only cackled and handed her a list. It wasn't that long, but it still had three pages to it. She could already guess what it was.

"Here you go. Are you going to tell me what this is about? Because I know he wasn't a mugger." She snatched the list from his hand and looked it over greedily. The pages rustled over Conner's yelling and Wally's squeeling. A quick breeze and Wally was in the corner with the pages.

"Baywatch! Give that back NOW!" She yelled and threw her body toward him, trying to knock him to the ground. But this was anticipated and he folded all the pages into airplanes and threw them at Robin. When they hit the ground the list was back in Robin's posession. "You ass hole." Artemis muttered pulling herself off the red head.

"What's up Arty?" Wally asked speeding over to Robin, trying to get a look at the pages. To his dismay however, the bird handed them straight back to Artemis, who quickly headed for her room. "Aw come on man! You're no fun!" he complained when they were alone.

"No I'm clever and devious. I already know what's on that list. I made it for her." he said causally. Wally's eyes grew mischeivous.

"What is a list of rich boy from Star?" Rob rolled his eyes.

"Get over yourself. I don't know why she wanted it but I'm going to find out. You in?"

"Getting dirt on the Roy replacment? You bet I am!"

* * *

The park was still glistening with the previous night's rain. Artemis sat on the swing set, gently rocking back and forth. The set had a cover over it, so it was still dry. She had the list Robin gave her hidden in her jacket. Her father's baseball cap covered her blonde hair that was tied up in a high ponytail then normal, to disguise the length of her hair. She had been sitting there for a longish time and was getting seriously bored. Just when she was contemplating going down the slide, the shawdowy figure that was her father appeared behind her.

"Didn't grandma ever tell you that it's rude to sneak up on people?" she asked sarcastically, happy that she was able to feel him comming.

"Baby girl, I make my living by killing people by shooting them with some type of sporting good. Being poliet is not exactly what I was trained for." His sarcasam was identical to Paula's. It surprised her a bit, that one of them must have given it to the other and he still retained it.

"So what is it?" she asked as he joined her under the swing cover. "Do you have a plan?"

"I wouldn't be sitting here with you if I didn't. Let me see the files you have under your jacket." Artemis made an exagarated 'What the Hell?!' gesture, and gave him a look. "The bat isn't the only with basic observation skills. Though aparently not many." Artemis rolled her eyes. "The corner is sticking out of the edge of your jacket. I assume it's relevant otherwise you wouldn't have brought it." Artemis buttoned her black pea-coat and slide the creamy white pages out.

"I really hate it when you do that." She grumbled handing him the information she'd already memorized. "His name is Norman Oswald. Age 49. Ocupation: not for the last year and a half. Family: Divorced. Wife filed on claim of abuse. No charges were ever filed though." she recited. Lawrence nodded as he digested the information.

"Matches everything I gathered. Where'd you get this?" He placed the pages into his own jacket.

"You're not the only one with contacts now. So what are we going to do? Before I came here, I saw him grab her arm to move her over. I'm about this close to putting an arrow through his left eye!"

"Temper baby girl." but Artemis could hear the distaste in his voice. "Keep following them on their dates. Make sure he doesn't do anything we'll want to make him regret." She nodded. He gave a sincere smile. Tapping the cap lightly, but strong enough to make it dip over her eyes. When she reajusted it so she could see, he had gone.

* * *

Dick and Wally typed away at the computor hacking into the Gotham City Police Department's database.

"Why are we searching in the Gotham files? I thought Arty lived in Star?" Wally asked for the fourth time in twenty minutes. Dick didn't bother to stiffle his exasperated groan.

"For the last time, the guy she was tracking was last seen in Gotham. Now can you please focus?" They were trying to get more in depth info on Oswald's first marrige. Even though it was reported, it was never followed up on, so it was burried under loads of minimal crimes like peace disturbances. It was taking forever to sort through all the crap.

"Ok fine, let me at it. Let's see... let's see... ok here we go. And there we are." Within seconds, the correct file was open on the screen.

"Dude... how did you do that so fast? It takes Batman longer to find stuff on murder cases!" Wally grinned cockily and put his hands on his hips.

"Uncle Barry sometimes gets me to help him with his lab reports for cold cases. All police files are more or less the same system, so it's easy to find what you want if you know the system." Dick returned the look.

"Nice. Ok let's see what we've got."

* * *

It's a little bit lighter and fluffier but, that'll change soon! Reveiw and let me know if there are any pairings you'd like to see! :D Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 3

The boys crowded the screen and scrolled through the information. "Norman Oswald married Octavia Lafonda-Jones, age 24. Were married for four years, in which she claimed, that he was emotionaly, financialy and near the end, physically abusive toward her and her neice, who was living with them at the time." Robin listed off, skimming the first paragraph.

"The incident report says that the neice is the one who phoned the police. She told the operator her uncle was beating her aunt because she wouldn't give him her paycheck that was being saved for a school function. The neice then dropped the phone and the operator heard the sounds of him attacking her instead. What a creep." Wally muttered disgustedly. Robin picked up again.

"When the police arrived on scene, Ms. Lafonda-Jones claims that nothing occured besides a rather heated argument. Oswald said that the neice was simply over reacting and the noises that the operator overheard was him taking out his anger on a doll and the little girl crying about it. Even though the officer heard whimpering from behind a closed door, no charges were pressed. She divorced him three days later, packed up and moved to Calgary Ablerta all the way in Canada taking her niece with her." he finished, trying to develop heat vision starring at the words infront of him. Wally clenched and unclenched his fists.

"What a pig. But why did Arty want to know about this guy?" he pondered, leaning back in his chair. Dick exited out of the file system and made sure that they were untracable.

"She's not going to be honset with us. So I say we find out for ourselves."

* * *

The last few dates had been similar. Norman would arrive far too early to pick up Paula and would force Artemis to make small talk, that would end in him threatening her with revealing her too the media. Now it wasn't that Artemis was worried about the super villians knowing her identity. They most likely already knew. They just didn't care. It was the media and the kids at school who she associated with that she was afraid of. She hated people bursting into her private life, and having the media hounding her would be detremental. Not to mention it would put everyone at risk. Green Arrow, Black Canary, Red Arrow, even the other Justice Leaguers. She was not about to let that happen. And so she took the insults he hurled at the family with a balnk face untill they left. Then she unleashed a large amount of hurt on the training room her father had installed before he had left.

When they thougtht they were alone, it was basically the same routine every night. Norm would act the part of the kind and polite and loving boyfriend, untill they thought they weren't being watched. Then things would start subtly. A harsh push or pull of her chair. A nasty way of over ruling her ideas or opinions. And always, always, always making her pay. The fortune that had been given was slowly starting to dwindle down from the expensive meals and events they were attending. It was taking a grave amount of inner strenght and control not to shoot him full of arrows and blame it on Merlin. But that would be considered against Batman's golden rule and she really didn't feel like being hunted down, so she left all projectiles at home. Artemis had planted a bug on her mother chair and was listening in on the conversation.

"Sit up straight. You look even more like a waste of space." Oswald spat. Paula was sitting fairly straight already but still made the effort to sit taller. He rolled his eyes and muttered something that even the bug couldn't pick up. Paula could hear it though and she flushed a deep crimson. Artemis couldn't hear but she could read lips. She was so angry that she nearly fell off the building she was perched on. A muscular hand shot out and caught her as she leaned too far forward.

"You need to be more careful. One of these days, there won't be anyone there to catch you." Sportsmaster said smugly. Once she was back on solid ground she rolled her eyes.

"You've been saying that for years, and some one has always caught me. Besides I don't need anyone to catch me." She returned to the binoculars but didn't bother listening in. She had heard enough.

"So you wouldn't have plummeted to the ground and get turned in sidewalk stroganoff?" When his daughter didn't reply he chuckled. "Or did you think that the Bat or Boy Wonder would come to your aid?"

"Leave them out of this. If I needed it, they'd help me." Her eyes stayed glued on her mother, but her knuckles whitened against the binoculars.

"Sure they would. Untill they find out who you are. Then they'll ditch you faster then if you commited a crime yourself." Artemis slammed the binoculars on the ground and snarled.

"Oh go jump off a bridge or something. Then see if anyone's there to catch you." she yelled. The people in resturant looked up at the roof but both Crocks had already retreated into the shadows. Norm finished, paid with Paula's money and dragged her back to her apartment. They followed the pair along the streets, staying silent and unseen. When they reached the building, they slipped into Artemis' room and found a surprise.

"Hey Sis. Long time no see your little friends." Jade smirked lounging on her bed twirling the baseball hat in her fingers.

"Oh great. A family reunion. Those are always so much fun with our 'family'" Artemis muttered snatching the hat back and dropping it uncerimoniously into a drawer. Lawrence walked up to his eldest daughter.

"What's the matter little girl. Not happy to see me?" Jade had a sai out in seconds. Artemis leapt between them and stuck out her hands putting one on her dad's chest and one in front of Jade's raised sai.

"Shhhhhhh. Listen! Their inside." The sounds of Oswald complaining how big a hassel it was to get a wheel chair upstairs drifted into the tense room. Jade twirled the sai around and stuck it into it's sheath. Lawrence moved quietly over to the door and laid an ear to the wooden surface. Artemis listened below him after sweeping her hair away. Jade dropped to the floor and covered the area where the light seeped under the frame.

Tea cups clinked, then smashed. Paula apologized as Norm berated her. Then Artemis was called for. Her sister and father backed away so that she could get out. As she walked down the hallway, the other two slipped into the bathroom, which was far closer to the living room.

"You callede me mom?" Paula was sitting beside the couch with her head in her hands.

"No actually, I did. Your mother and I want to talk to you." Norman was sitting in the new recliner, with a beer in hand.

"Don't tell me. You don't think I spend enough time with you." She said her voice so thick with sarcasam that you could cut it with a knife. Oswald scowled.

"Quaint. Listen here you delinquent! I don't want anymore lip from you. Or you'll be sorry." Jade re-drew her sais and growled.

"Why haven't we killed this bastard already?" She hissed threatiningly. Lawrence rolled his eyes.

"Because little girl, if we did, neither Paula or Artemis would ever speak to us again. And I don't know about you, but losing your mother would..." he trailed off, leaving the sentence open ended.

"Please like you care. What are you even doing here?" Jade scoffed.

"I could ask you the same thing. I thought Ra al Ghul wanted you on call."

"Because I needed something from my room. And he let me off for the night. Now shush. Arty's saying something."

"Listen here you bozo- ah!" The empty beer made a small cut on her lip which didn't hurt much, but it did surprise her. He was standing now, and grabbed another can from the fridge. He plunked himself back down and opened the can.

"I told you. I'm not going to take any lip from some wanna be archer, when she should really be working the streets." Paula raised her head.

"That is enough. Artemis, we just wanted to let you know that Norm is going to be moving in with us." She said quietly. Artemis allowed her eyes to grow wide.

"No! No, no, no! No way!" She protested, folding her hands and shaking her head.

"It's settled. Norm's apartment was burned down a few night ago and he has no where else to stay."

"That's right. So you'd better get your act together." Artemis didn't bother to reply. She just went into her room. Her sister joined her along with her father. She had smothered her face with her pillow and dropped on the floor.

"Why does it seem like I can have as many families as I want, as long as they'll fall apart and hurt me and Mom?" She said, her sad voice muffled by the pillow. If she was talking to people who weren't top assasins, she probably would have touched something. However she was talking to almost heartless killers and didn't overly impress anyone. They waited fifteen minutes, before a can crunched and a door slamed. Paula wheeled her chair toward her daughter's room.

"Artemis? Artemis, may I come in?" She asked tapping gently on the door. Jade opened the door and hid behind it. Lawrence sat on the fire escape out of sight. "Artemis? Are you alright?"

"Yeah mom. I'm fine. What about you?"

"I know he can be a bit... rough sometimes, but compared to Lawrence, he's practically an angel." Though he'd never admit it, it stung to hear her say that. He still cared. He'd always cared.

"Are you kidding? Dad may be an ass hole and a criminal and a jerk, and unsuportive, and critical and a peice of work," Lawrence banged on the metal grate. "But never once did he ever hit us when we weren't training. He never stole... well he never stole from us." Paula sighed.

"Please Artemis. He may be the last chance we have for a family. He really does care for me. I know it." Her eyes filled with tears. Artemis removed the pillows from her face and gave her a hug.

"Mom. I love you. Isn't that enough?" Paula gazed at her with the saddest look Artemis had ever seen.

"No... Not anymore."

* * *

I hope you enjoyed the newest chapter! Thanks so much to everyone who reveiwed and favorited! I will try to get another chapter out soon! Thanks for reading! Please reveiw and tell me what you thought! :D


	5. Chapter 4

Thanks so much for the amazing reviews! :D I will try my best to include all the suggested pairings! Without further ado, chapter four!

* * *

The words stung and filled the room like a poisonous gas, seeping from the ignored chemical containers in the corner and would ignite from the slightest spark. It swelled in the silence filling all occupants will deepest dread. Tears rolled Paula's cheeks and fell onto the arms and wheels of her chair. Artemis stayed motionless on the floor, staring at the Alice poster like it had the secret to life hidden in it's picture. Jade remained silent behind the half closed door as she tried to decide whether or not she should announce her presence. Sportsmaster blinked and felt shocked, a feeling he rarely got. He too contemplated entering the room, but the longer he waited, the more the toxic words cut into his baby girl. Finally, Paula could bear her daughters stony reaction more more.

"It's not that I don't love you! I love you more then life itself. But It's not about how much I love you, it's about being loved." Artemis slowly turned her head toward her mother.

"What the hell is that supose to mean. And what does love have to do with him?" Her voice was quiet, and there was less anger and more rejection in it. It mixed with the poision and nearly sent Paula into sobs, but she held it together.

"Jade doesn't care about me, your father wouldn't give up the life for us, and left us. My sister is dead along with the rest of my family. Don't you understand? I am alone except for you and Norman. If either of you were to leave me... I don't think I could go on." She choked out before sucumming to the atmosphere and breaking down. The posionous fumes in Artemis' blood and lungs disappated in her mothers words. The blonde dragged her suddenly tired body over to the chair and gave her a hug. Jade deicided that it was as good a time as any to present herself and she emerged from her hiding place to stroke her sisters hair. Lawrence swung half his body inside, in case he needed to get away quickly.

"W-w-what's this?" Paula asked confusedly, not sure if she was halucinating her eldest (and secretly her favorite back then) daughter and husband.

"An intervention." Was Lawrence's answer. Paula looked up from Artemis' shoulder to glare at him.

"Your not welcome here any more. Get out." When he didn't move, she pushed Artemis back gently into Jade and wheeled herself up to him to poke his chest. "You heard me. Get out. And don't come back here ever again. I'm happy now, and you will not ruin that too." Artemis jumped away from the assasin and looked accusingly at Paula.

"Are you crazy? You call this happy? Not ten minutes ago, we were having a fight and you were sobbing you eyes out. That's your definition of happy?" She yelled. Jade stuck out her hand and pulled her into a suffocating hug to keep her quiet.

"Mother, your not happy. You want to be, but your not." Paula's eyes were completly dry now, and alight with malice.

"You don't know anything Jade. Nothing. Not about loyalty, not about love and absolutly nothing about this family. You abandoned your sister remember? Don't pretend like you care now." The nineteen year old looked taken aback. Never had her mother ever spoken so harshly to her. Ever.

"Mom... I..." She released Artemis from her tight grasp.

"Say what you will but the fact remains. I am not leaving Norman. Now both of you get the hell out. Artemis has school in the morning and she's not going to be late." And without even bothering to watch them leave, she was gone with a slam of the door.

"You'd better go. Before she calls the cops or something." Came Artemis' muffled and defeated voice from Cheshire's shoulder. No longer afraid to come inside, Sportsmaster stood by his children. Cheshire glared at him with a burning hate.

"We won't give up on her baby girl. We won't give up on either of you." He ruffled her hair and went out the way he came in. Cheshire kissed her head and disapeared. When they were both long gone, Artemis packed up her overnight bag and headed for the Zeta tubes. She knew that if her mother realized she left, she would probably have a heart attack, so she left a very obvious note, just in case. She travelled through the dark city without any real care for her personal saftey. She definatly could have taken anyone stupid enough to jump her, but she wasn't in the mood for once. She was tired of fighting tonight.

The Cave was dimmly lit creating a quiet atmosphere. Artemis tried to move as silently as she could, but it was difficult with the awkward bag, and the fact that her emotions were threatening to spill over at any moment. She took the long way to her room, a route that avoiding Conner's room. She didn't want to wake him with his superhearing. The however did take her past Robin's room and he nearly scared her lifeless when he stuck his hand out and yanked her into the room. She screamed, loudly, and another hand clamped around her mouth.

"What the hell is the matter with you? Are you trying to give me an anerurism?!" She yelled at nearly the same volume as her scream when the hand disapeared.

"Shhhhhh! You'll wake Superboy!" Wally hissed at a comicaly quiet decimal. Artemis rolled her eyes with far more malice then normal.

"You should have thought of that before scaring me half to death! Now what do you want?" Artemis dropped her bag on the floor to fold her arms angrily across her chest. Without bothering to explain, both boys wrapped their arms around her, Wally going for her waist and Robin for her shoulders. She paused for a moment, her surprise taking over for a second, before the weight of her current situation came down on her and she colapsed into their arms. She didn't cry hard, that just wasn't her style. But she cried enough that Robin's shoulder had a light stain on the fabric. They stayed like that untill an awkward knock at the door seperated them. It was followed by not so quiet whispering.

"-and if you heard a scream we should make sure that everyone's alright!" Came M'gann's worried tones.

"But Wally went in there ages ago, and that's Rob's room so maybe their..." The boys sprinted from the room as fast as they could go, (Which was of course the speed of sound,) and opened the door.

"No... no. No no no. No. No. Where did you even learn about something like that?" Robin and Kid Flash cried indignantly. Conner shrugged and raised his eye brows.

"A guy at school was talking about it. So why did you scream a few minutes ago?" They were blocking Artemis from view, figuring that she wouldn't want the rest of the team knowing. She'd probably kill them for knowing, but was to run down to care at the moment. That would change in the morning. But for the moment, they tried to conceal her presence in the Cave.

"Spiders." Wally said. M'gann gave him a funny look.

"I didn't know you were afraid of spiders." Wally pouted a bit and mentally cursed.

"It was a really big spider..." He muttered turning his head to the side to take a glance at Artemis. To his surprise, she had fallen asleep onto of Dick's bed and had curled into a ball hugging her shoulders. His moment of annoyance disaparated and was replaced by the urge to 'aw.'

"Alright, well if that's all we'll be going back to bed. Night guys. Don't stay up too late!" M'gann winked as she and Conner walked back down the hallway. Rob face palmed and started muttering about overly obssesed fans and Freudian nightmares. Wally smacked him to get him to shut up. Catching sight of the archer, the bird found a warm blanket and draped it over her and motioned Kid Flash to follow him. He grabbed some pyjamas and went into the hall. Just before following him, the speedster knelt down and kissed the blonde's forehead.

"Don't worry babe. We'll get you out of this. I promise."

* * *

Morning came and went, and M'gann and Superboy never knew that Artemis had been to the Cave that night. She had left at five thirty in the morning to be home before her mother could notice. Her room was exactly the way she had left it, except it was the same temperature as outside. Someone had left the window open, and Artemis was sure it wasn't her. Moving cautiously, she surveyed her room for any missing or moved objects as well as anything that could potentially be a bomb or other type of trap. Her eyes wandered untill they laid to rest on the open drawer of her dresser. Onto of her father's baseball hat was a small grinning stuffed cat.

"Subtle Jade. Real subtle." Lowering her guard, she picked it up and found a note attachted to the bottom.

"Dear Arty,  
Didn't know you were one to run off in the middle of the night. Meet me at the meeting place at the time of arrival.  
Love, Kitty."

To most people the note told you nothing of what you needed to know. But since when was Artemis 'most people?' When they were still a family, the girls had each other to get away from the training with. When they weren't allowed to talk to each other (As training or punishment,) they could use secret messaging to get the point across. If Artemis was going to ask Jade to meet her, the elder sister would find an arrow head with a note attached on the target she used for her knifes. When Jade wanted Artemis to find something, the blonde would discover a stuffed cat in her drawer. The message to meet somewhere was always the same. 'Meet me at the meeting place at the time of arrival.' The place never changed, and the time was discovered by looking at the number of whiskers or notches the cat or arrowhead had. They hadn't used the system since Jade had left, and Artemis had nearly forgotten about it. But it all came rushing back, and it was automatic to check the whiskers for the answer she wanted. This particular feline had a ridiculous amount on it's plush face. Twenty two to be exact. So her sister wanted her there for ten o'clock. Just when Paula and Norm usually got home after a date.

* * *

"Have a good day at school kiddo. You're comming straight home _right?"_ Norm's voice was irritating to hear at seven in the morning, but since he moved in last night, it was practically the first thing Artemis heard that day. Quite frankly it made her want to kill something with a stick, but she endured it for her mother's sake. Paula's eyes were bloodshot and red, and her entire body drooped a bit.

"Actually I'm studying over at Barbra's house today, so no I will not be home." She said defiantly. It was one thing to invade her home, but trying to control her social life was where she drew the line. Norman didn't have the same line however.

"Why don't you study over here instead? I'm sure your mother and I would like to meet her."

"Because her house isn't infested. Bye now." She made to move past him and out the door, but his somewhat bulky frame blocked her path.

"Not so fast. We want you home bye five thirty at the lastest. Do you understand?" Artemis knew that the smart answer was to say yes and then never follow through, but her chalenging nature overruled commen sense.

"Like hell I will. I have thing to do. Besides you can't tell me what to do. I won't let you." Her mother didn't scold her this time, but rather told of Oswald.

"Let her go. We shouldn't make threats we can't enforce. It's her life." Oswald looked taken aback and Artemis seized his moment of surprise to barge past him.

"Love you mom! See you later!" She said as her ponytail disapeared out the door frame. Norm got over his surprise and his eyes widen in anger of being over written.

"Who do you think you are? You're making me look like the bad guy!" He growled advancing on the tired woman. When he had arrived back last night, Paula had already gone to bed and didn't wake up when he tried to rouse her so he was already annoyed.

"I think I am her mother. And you will always look like the bad guy to her if you continue to try and control her life." She gave him a weak look, and he almost crumbled under the sad look, but he had gotten it many times before from Octavia. He never backed down from her, and he wasn't going to start now. The fact that she used to be an assasin didn't change that. She was still in a wheelchair, which was all the advantage he needed.

"Well she needs someone to stop herself from getting killed, or worse. And you aren't exactly able to do that are you?" Paula gave him a look that he couldn't place.

"I have things to do. I'll be back in time for supper." He began to protest, but she was already out the door and in the elevator.

* * *

The school day was short and tiring but Artemis was glad to get to the Cave. She felt like she could relax for the first time in weeks. She noticed that Wally and Robin kept looking at her when they thought she wouldn't notice, but it's not like Flashes had a reputation of being subtle. And whenever she noticed Wally watching her, that meant Robin was too. She would be sparring with Kaldur or Conner and if one of them got in a lucky shot, both boys would whip their heads around to give her a concerned look. It was begining to drive her crazy, but before she could complain, Black Canary dismissed them.

"Alright, nice job today. I'm pleased with how you've all improved in the last few weeks. Take next training session off for some team bonding." She smiled, patted Superboy's shoulder and took her leave. The rest of the team gathered around Kaldur, in case he had anything to add.

"Ok since we have the next training on Saturday off, is there anything you would like to do?" He asked. M'gann and Superboy shook their heads, but Wally and Robin looked excited. "That does not involve sneaking into the Watchtower to play pranks on the Justice League... Or sneaking into any type of eighteen plus attraction." The excited look quickly faded and Kid Flash started to pout.

"Party pooper." He grumbled. Robin was still grinning though.

"Why don't I take you guys around Gotham? In our civvies of course." Everyone nodded in agreement including Artemis, but in the back of her mind, an alarm went off. Why would the Dark Squire want to suddenly show the team around Gotham? They had had Saturday field trips before, and he was always trying to skirt around going into his city. While she did appreciate the support they showed last night, but she didn't really want the rest of the team to get all mushy and concerned. That just wasn't her style. But the team had already dispatched and went there seperate ways. She pushed the suspisious thoughts to the back of her mind. It was almost time to meet Jade.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed! :D Tell me what you thought! All reveiws are greatly appreciated! :D


	6. Chapter 5

The city had been in a thick cloud of rain for almost a week and a half. For most people it was little more then a hinderence when they wanted to go outside. But for people like Chesire and the other assasin's in the League of Shawdows, it gave a whole new form of problems. While the blocked out moon did give cover, the constant moisture made it that much harder to sneak around in the wet conditions. And when the rain was really pouring, it made it that much harder to see. They were of course trained to operate in any condition, but it was a hassle and Chesire had never liked the rain much anyways. It was always the element she hated training in the most. Everytime she screwed up (which was rarely, if ever) her punishment would involve a long few days in the woods, alone while the rain made her uncomfortable and miserable. Artemis was never subjegated to such punishment, but then Father had always liked her best. She would simply have to hit a few hundred target untill her hands bled, but that was nothing compared to the feeling of abandonedment she felt in the darkness of that acursed forest. But she could never had turned those feelings of hate toward her little sister, who almost always was the one to come to retrieve her. The little archer never came without her warmest blanket, a pipping hot bowl of Canh and her stuffed bear to keep her company when she was alone. Instead the misgivings she had was directed at her father. The man she could never please. But there was only some much she could hate one man, and so the rest of her animosities were directed at the weather.

It wasn't raining just yet when Artemis' distinguishable gloden hair came into her sister's sight. The blonde was carrying her crossbow and Cheshire had it on fact that she never ever went anywhere without the dagger that Ra al Ghul had given to her on her eleventh birthday. It was beautiful and deadly, and though it was a gift from an evil villian, she never left it at home. The cat assasin waited for Sportsmaster to make his enterance before revealing her own position. The heroine jumped at the sudden apperance, but only barely.

"You're late." Came the man's drawl. Artemis glared at him, and her fingers ghosted over the secret pouch on her thigh that would let her get at her dagger.

"Traffic." Came her cool reply. Cheshire decided now would be an ecelent time to annoucne herself.

"I didn't know you drove here sis. In fact I didn't know you owned a car. Besides what would the Dark Knight say about underage driving hm?" She asked silkily. This time Artemis didn't jump, much to Jade's disappointment, but merly turned her head.

"I didn't. Had to break up a road rage induced fight to cross the street."She said snarkily flopping onto one of the couches that sat in the dim light. The meeting place hadn't been touched in almost three years. But it had been perfectly perserved. It was a gothic house on the outskirts of the city. The girls had discovered it when they were avoiding their dad one day. Over time they had furnished it and fixed up the rotting areas and turned it into their own Wonderland. Drawings of their favorite characters and posters from the movies littered the walls and ceilings. They had stolen a tv and cable box and set it up in the living room as well as appliances for the kitchen and two master bedrooms set up. Here they had made their own house and pretended that they had a perfect family. Having their father there was like the final part of their childhood was smashed into several irreplacable peices, but they knew it had to happen sometime.

"So this is where you girls would disapear off to. I'd always assumed you just wandered around." Cheshire growled and gripped her sais.

"If you even think of breaking anything in here, I will personally make sure you never-"

"Little girl, don't try to threaten me. You'll just a fool of yourself." He chuckled cutting her off. Jade opened her mouth to retort, but Artemis cut her off.

"Enough. Is there a particular reason you wanted me here? I think I got enough of your fighting when I was a kid." Jade shut her mouth and released her white-knuckled hold on her weapons.

"As a matter of fact, we have some info for you. Thought you'd like to know." Sportsmaster informed her.

"If it's about the advantages of being in the Shawdows, I am not interested." She muttered so that only Jade could hear her. The assasin had to hide her smirk.

"We were following your mother around today..." He began.

"Seriously? Stalker much?" She said raising an eyebrow. Lawrence ignored her and continued.

"She sepnt nearly four hours in her laywer's office."

"And I snuck in there and tried to find out what they were doing." Jade finished. Artemis waited for them keep going, but they remained silent.

"And...?" She asked spinning her hands away from her to prompt them. Her family in turn shrugged.

"Well that's the thing. I couldn't figure it out. Nothing has changed it seems." She looked puzzled for a moment, before flipping upside down and walking around on her hands.

"Umm.. what exactly are you doing?" Artemis wondered voicing her father confusion as well.

"It helps me think." She said from upside down. The blonde's exchanged a look but said nothing.

"You need to figure out what. If she's changing around her will like I think she is, it may be a complete game changer."

"I thought we agreed that you weren't going to be using those ridiculous sports puns when not in costume." Artemis complained. Lawrence shrugged.

"Sometimes it's just too easy." He supplied. Jade righted herself gracefully. Winked at her sister and turned to go.

"Little girl, the master wants you to meet him tomorrow." She scowled but nodded. Sportsmaster clapped Artemis on the shoulder and took his leave. The sisters took in the fact they hadn't been alone together without trying to beat each other up, threatening one another or foil the other's assasination in two years.

"Been awhile huh?" The cat smiled her signature grin. Artemis sighed and picked up a doll that had been left there.

"No kidding. Maybe if you hadn't left me alone with dad..." She said bitterly.

"I told you. It's every girl for herself." Jade snapped. Artemis roller her eyes and stood to leave. "I'm sorry I couldn't take you with me. You would have hated it. It was a good thing." She said with more kindness this time.

"A letter would have been nice. Something to know that you weren't dead." Jade smiled despite the hostile tone in her voice.

"Wow Arty, I didn't know you cared." Artemis again rolled her eyes and turned to go.

"I did. Now I'm more concerned about myself. You're the one who taught me that." And without another word, she disapeared into the hall. The door slammed and she was gone. Jade took one final look at the place and vanished like a cat.

* * *

It was Saturday. Most kids took the oppritunity to sleep for as long as they could untill their parents shook them from the comfortable beds and into reality. Teen heroes on the other hand were usually still out patroling or on a mission early Saturday morning. This week however, promptly at seven thirty had met at the Cave.

"Does everyone have their cell phones?" Kaldur asked as the others stood in a semi-circle around him. They were all dressed in their usual civvies with Robin covering his eyes and hiding his identity with his shades. Everyone was also given a small taser, just in case. This was Gotham that they were going to, and it was better safe then sorry. Everyone held up their Justice League issued cell phone.

"So Megs, you have my number right?" Wally asked flirtaiously. Conner bit back the urge to smack him and settled for stepping closer to his girlfriend. Artemis however seemed to read his mind, and did the deed for him.

"Of course she does dweeb. We all have each other's numbers. Otherwise the purpose would be defeated." He glared at her and rubbed his head. But Robin glance at him, and the glare softened signifigantly.

"Alright then let's go." Kaldur said.

"But remember this is Gotham. You're in as much danger from the rest of public as you are from the supervillians. So Artemis and M'gann-"

"Yeah yeah, don't go off by ourselves into dark places in skimpy clothing. That's commen sense Rob, not just specific to Gotham." He shrugged and motioned toward the Zeta beams. They departed one at a time, starting with Robin and ending with Conner. The city was still coated with clouds and the smog that never went away. M'gann was third to arrive and she looked a bit uncomfortable. As did Kaldur and Conner. But Artemis and Wally looked about as chalant as Robin.

"Alright why don't we split up into two groups and meet up in about two hours?" They all agreed. "Okay then, how about Kaldur, M'gann and Wally go together, and Artemis and Conner can come with me?"

"Sounds great to me! Don't you think babe?" Wally grinned. Conner opened his mouth to object, but Kaldur laid a hand on his shoulder.

"That will work. It's a good idea to spend some quality time with those we do not always 'hang out with.'" Conner grumbled in his mind, but after M'gann reasurred him telepathicaly, he calmed down.

"Cool. Meet us at the Wayne Tech building. And whatever you do stay away from the north east side of the city. Beleive me that's not a nice place to venture into." Artemis nodded, thinking of all the times that her mother and father had taken her into Crime Alley and the surrounding neighbourhoods on jobs. The people her harsh and cruel, and more then a few times she had to fight for her life. The others heeding his warning and set off for the southwest side of the city. Robin turned to the other two. "So do you guys want to head to the boring side, or the fun side?" The clone and archer exchanged a worried look.

"Define 'fun' and 'boring.'" Conner asked warily. Robin smirked.

"I'll show you."

* * *

Much to their relief, the fun side of Gotham involved going to fancy resturants and on expensive tours of the cities landmarks. For being a native Gothamite, Artemis was discovering she only had seen on side of the city. The side that wasn't rotting and infected. The side that wasn't the criminal underbelly that she was so used to. She used to wonder why on earth anyone would ever stay here. But she was discovering that there was indeed a sliver lining to this place. They ended the tour in an expensive sea food resturant. The cheapest item was still enough for Artemis to buy groceries for a month.

"How exactly are we going to pay for this?" Conner asked skeptically as they looked at the menu outside. Artemis shrugged and looked at Robin.

"And are they even going to let us in? We're not exactly black tie ready." Rob gave them his signature smirk.

"Have no fear my padawans! Just leave it all to me!" He sauntered ahead of the line and had a quick word with the head waiter. As Artemis and Conner followed him a man and his date in a wheelchair caused her to duck behind the clone.

"Um, is this normal?" The confused boy asked Rob. He turned and shrugged and motioned for them to hurry up. "Are you going to come out from there?" He asked Artemis after they had gotten inside the resturant.

"...Yes." She said sticking her head up a bit to regain a bit of dignity.

"Something wrong Arty?" Robin asked gently, but still with humor in his voice.

"Yeah, you just called me 'Arty!'" She walked past Superboy and smacked Rob on her way to where the waiter was leading them.

"Touchy!" The waiter sat them in a secluded area that was out of the way of the entire resturant. They were only visible to the rest of the public from one angle, and that was where the waiter stand was. They were given their menus and left alone. "Order anything you like guys!"

"Which brings us back to the whole 'how the hell are we suppose to afford this' conversation." Robin smirked and laid a comforting hand on her arm while looking deep into her eyes.

"I've got it covered. Now sit back and relax." Artemis did what she was told and relaxed. That lasted for an entire eleven minutes, before a familliar wheel chair and sleaze bag walked into their veiw.

"Dammit!" And she pulled the menu straight up to her face, totally obscuring her. Robin and Conner exchanged a look before Conner asked.

"This may be a stupid question, but what are you doing?"

"Yeah because you do realize we can see them but they can't see us right?" The firey blonde slammed down the menu and glared at the boys.

"Well if I knew that I wouldn't have smacked the menu in my face now would I?"

"Uh they can't see us. Their hearing on the other hand is still top notch!" Artemis growled and threw her napkin at the bird, who caught it and grinned.

"I'm still confused." Artemis paniked for a moment tyring to think up a beleviable lie, but was saved by the waiter.

"Have you decided yet?" He asked holding up his pad.

"I'll have the shrimp fettuccine with a diet coke."

"Pepsi alright?" All three heaved dramatic sighs and the waiter smirked a bit. "You'd be surprised how many people think that sighing is faux pas here." The kids grinned.

"I'll have the Alaskin King Crab and an apple juice." The boys looked at her with raised eye brows. "What? I like juice. Sue me." The waiter made a note and turned to Conner.

"Lobster and root beer." With a final note to his pad, the waiter gathered up their menus and departed. Almost immediatly Conner turned back to Artemis.

"Why were you hiding from those people?" He demanded bluntly.

"What's it to you?" She snapped turning her head sharply. Robin looked at her and again placed his hand on her arm, although this time he was dead serious.

"'Mis, you can tell him. I doubt he's going to smother you with unwanted affection." A pregnent moment passed before Artemis let a wall crumbled into dust.

"Fine. The woman in the wheel chair is my mother and the man with her is teh guy that has been abusing us for the past few weeks." Conner didn't react for a while so Artemis chewed on her bottom lip, not really sure what she should be afraid of, but feeling worried anyways.

"Why haven't you told any of us?" He didn't sound mad, maybe a little hurt and worried but he sounded more angry when Wally bumped into Sphere.

"No offence, but I didn't need you help or pity. But since you three know, we may as well tell M'gann and Kaldur." Robin noded and made a note in his phone. Conner shrugged at her answer and accepted it.

"So what are we going to do about it?" He ventured.

"Did you not just hear me? I don't want your help."

"Too bad. Your getting it."

"Yup. All of Superman's protectiveness but none of the social skills." Conner turned his glare over to Robin who ignored him and played with his utensiles.

"Fine. Right now it's more of getting my mom to realize that he's a bastard and deserves to meet the Joker on a dark night." Rob cringed a bit at the allusion.

"He's that bad?" For all of the detective skills he had developed, it still wasn't the same as being given information and the magnitude of what was happening was largely unknown to him.

"Pretty much. Look can we drop this for the rest of the day? We can pick it back up when the whole team is here alright?" The boys agreed and they made small talk untill the meals arrived. They were totally amazing, and true to his word, Rob took care of the entire bill. They left the resturant and waited at a park across the street from Wayne Tech. They still had fifteen minutes to wait before the others were supposed to arrive though. Rob climed the trees while Conner and Artemis sat in the shade beneath them. All of a sudden, Noram Oswald was in front of them screaming bloody murder.

"You said you were going to be at a girl's house! Not tramping around with two boys!" He screamed, seizing Artemis' arm. Conner stood up to hit him, but Robin held in back in case he blew their cover.

"Get off of me!"

"You lying little bitch! Wait 'till we get home!" His grip tightened and Artemis couldn't break it.

"She said let go!" Robin snarled menacingly, releasing Superboy and moving forward to help. Norm's arm came out of nowhere and his fist smashed into Rob's head sending him hurtling backwards. His head connected with the tree trunk with a sickening crack.

"Rob!" Artemis screamed at the unmoving boy.

* * *

Dun dun dun duuuuu. CLiff hangers! But I promise I will have the next chapter up in a few days give or take! Reveiws will greatly speed that process along! Thank you so much to those who reveiwed! **Irenerb, Keepmovingforwar, rouge42197, Fiery Attitude, destinationzer0, sabbs123, honeylove90 and all the annonimous reveiwers!** You're support and encouragement is truly appreciated and loved! In case you didn't notice, I made a reference to **Soului** story Stubborn! I don't own, I just like the phrase! :D Another thank you to those who favorited and followed! :D Hope you enjoyed!


	7. Chapter 6

Well it took a little longer then I hoped, but blame the jerk who stole my computer's battery. Big brothers suck. Thank you so much for all the amazing reveiws! And without further ado: Chapter Six! Enjoy!

* * *

"ROB!" Artemis screamed at the unmoving body. Superboy lost his cool and angrily went at Oswald. To his surprise, Norman, still with a firm hold on the blonde ducked out of the way of his swinging fist. Instead of hitting the man, the clone's fist caught Artemis in her solar plexus.

"Ahhhrugha!" She cried out falling to her knees. Well tried to fall to her knees. Norman still had a tight grip on her arm and she could only fall about half way. Conner backed off quickly, looking horrified.

"Let's go." He spat at the blonde, who was still paralyzed by the blow. He dragged her toward the street. Just then a boy in a blue turtle neck stepped in front of them. His face was stoic but his voice betrayed his anger.

"Release your hold. You are hurting her." He nearly snarled. He was flanked by an angry red headed boy who was tapping his foot at an alarming pace and a red headed girl, who's attention was focused on the boy laying on the ground. Realising he was outnumbered, Norman let Artemis fall to the ground, still clutching just above her stomach.

"We'll talk about this at home." And he left quickly. M'gann went to Conner, who was starring horrified as Kaldur tired to asses the damage. Wally was next to Robin in an instant and tried to rouse him. After a tense moment or two, the boy came around.

"Ok, did not see that one comming." He mummbled. As soon and his mind wasn't hazy, he and Wally went to Artemis.

"Damn Supey! You couldn't have hit an inch lower huh?" She complained, somewhat jokingly and the feeling returned. He didn't pick up on it however and looked distraught.

"I-I-I didn't mean to... I was aiming for-"

"We know Conner. Arty was just making a joke. It's not your fault." M'gann said soothingly, trying to ease his fears.

"Are you ok 'Mis?" Robin asked concernedly. A deep red mark in the shape of a hand was emerging high on her arm, as well as a deep purple bruise where Superboy had hit her.

"As soon as I can get you guys to stop calling me Arty I will be. And you know, when I can stand on my own. How about you?" She asked a bit afraid.

"I'm whelmed! Takes more then a tree to keep me down." He said casually. Wally and Kaldur helped Artemis up and let her catch her breath before questioning her.

"WHO THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Wally yelled angrily, waving his fist in the air to add emphasis. Dick shot him a look, and realization dawned on him. The others were still in the dark though.

"I think we'd better sit for this one." They moved to a shaded area where it was less likley to be over heard. "Alright. Well M'gann and Kaldur are the only two who don't know on the team, so here we go. My mother and I have been being abused by her new boyfriend for a few months now. He knows who I am and what I do and has been trying to prevent me from going out. I've obviously just ignored him and told him to jump off a cliff, but today he decided to take matters into his own hands." M'gann looked a bit hurt that she was one of the last to know, but didn't reprimand her. Instead she leant her mind to her sister and sent happy thoughts into her friend's mind, a technique that Martain mothers used to do for their babies who couldn't understand what they were saying yet. It worked and the archer took a deep breath. "Thanks."

"I beleive now the question is what are we going to do about it." Kaldur said folding his arms.

"No offence guys, but it doesn't really concern you. I can handle this by myself." Wally rolled his eyes and Conner scoffed audiably.

"Because you were clearly doing such a good job of that just now." He said sarcastically.

"And if he does know your identity, it is most certainly our business. It is possible he could figure out our idenities as well. We **will** be assisting you." Aqualad said firmly, leaving no room for discussion. Realising that she wasn't getting out of this, Artemis gave in.

"Fine. But we do it on my terms."

* * *

It had been a week since the incident in the park. Batman had become aware of the situation, though none of the team knew that. When the young archer had gotten home, her mother had saved her from another fight and Oswald had decided to let her have her freedom back. But Paula was still in 'love' with him and refused to hear anything against him. Lawrence had taken to following them on their dates, so that his daughters could go through his records and belongings. It was getting difficult for the assasin to keep himself from beating the son of a bitch into a messy pulp. Watching him steal from the women he was still legally married to, was painful enough. But it wasn't the moments that made his daughters mad that boiled his ire. It was when he flirted with her, or touched her gently. It was when he showed affection for her. And it was when she showed it back.

He never would have left her to the police all those years ago if he didn't have daughters waiting for them. Paula had agreed that they couldn't leave their children to the Shadows, or worse the Foster System. He was still very much in love with her. He'd always been in love her. Since the first time she punched him in the face, he'd loved her. His tiger. And seeing her in the arms of another killed him inside. But she had made it clear that if anything were to happen to the man, she would undoubtly sink into a bottomless depression. It didn't stop him from planning though. As a professional killer, especially one with a motif, he had many intricate ideas on how to punish the man harming his family. Some were compex and others simple, but they were the only things keeping the nightmares away at night. As Norman brushed a stray peice of hair away from Paula's happy face, Sportsmaster could only pray his daughters had found something.

* * *

Strange as it was, some of the only records on Norman Oswald were that of the domestic complaint and his recent eviction. No birth records, no highschool or college graduation. Nothing. Everyone who had tried to find anything came out hands full of hair, but empty of information. It was driving everyone insane. Dick had hacked into almost every database on the planet and had found nothing. Cheshire had used every single contact she had, but still nothing.

"You've got to be kidding me with this!" Wally raged as another lead came up short. "Who the hell is this guy?" A lightbulb light up in Conner's mind. The team was in M'gann's room on her computer for more privacy.

"Are you sure he's who he says he is? I mean I don't think some random unemployed guy would be able to take down you me and Rob by himself." The others pondered this.

"I guess he could be someone else. But who? Without a blood sample we don't have a clue as to who he is!" Robin pointed out from the bed next to Aqualad and Artemis.

"Hello Megan! I could read his mind!" M'gann smiled, using the catchphrase more to emphasis Robin's slip of mind then hers.

"That is true. But you would have to be near him correct?" The leader asked. The Martian nodded from one of her bean bag chairs on the floor.

"Well I'd at least have to be able to see him."

"Ok, why don't we try it when their on a date next time? That way he'd be distracted and there's less of a chance he'd notice your presence." Artemis suggested, making a mental note to tell her blood relations to stay away that night.

"Worth a shot!" Wally agreed. "So when's their next date?" Artemis quickly scrolled through her mind, a list of events for the comming week.

"Tonight in about two hours. At some fancy Italian place. An expensive Italian place." Her eyes narrowed. Nearly all the money her aunt had left them was being squandered on usless material crap. And freaking 150 dollar steaks.

"Let us not waste any more time then. Everyone go get ready. Wear civillian clothing, but pack all your materials. This is Gotham." Aqualad ordered. The team obeyed and hurroed out, leaving M'gann and Artemis alone.

"Tell the others I'll meet them there. I want to talk to my mom first.

* * *

That was a lie. She wanted to talk to her dad. He always followed them from the start. Which meant he was waiting for them on the roof. His back was turned when Artemis approached.

"Baby girl a herd of wild animals are quiter then you."

"Maybe because I think sneaking up on people is rude. Not to mention you usually boot people off of buildings when they sneak up on you." She muttered darkly standing beside him tensely. Though they had been working together without incident for almost three months, she still was wary of the man. Trust wasn't something she easily gave and he had proved to be unworthy of it so many times. He on the other hand was completley relaxed.

"It is rather rude. Have your little sidekicks found anything?" He asked, though he already knew the answer.

"..." A sigh."No. There's what Robin found at the begining then nothing. Squat. Zip. Zero. But that's going to change tonight." He raised his eyebrow and turned to look at her.

"And you plan on doing this how?" His daughter smirked impudently at him. If he was still training her, he would have been furious and given her a grueling test to make her pay for it. But she wasn't his protege any more and while he was still mad, he couldn't do anything. Just like he couldn't do anything for Paula or Jade. His family really was slipping away from him.

"Sometimes it pays to be a sidekick. But you need to stay out of sight. The last thing I need is for you to start a fight with them."

"Whatever you say baby girl. I have a job tonight anyways. You might want to stay clear of Crime Alley." She nodded and walked away, unware that his gaze never left her as she retreated downstairs.

* * *

M'gann had read thousands of minds. Each one was different and unique. Often times it was only subtle differences that seperated two minds. But she could say that she had never read a mind quite like this one. It was huge for starters. It was like a giant cavern with spiraling ceilings and a pit that decended into a encompassing darkness that could swallow a person's sanity whole if they looked into it for too long. The colours of a person's mind usually depicted their temperment and personality. When reading a villians mind, the colours were usually darker with one or two bright shades that were their redeeming factors. However this man's colour scheme was impossible to figure. It was bright and cheerful. At first glance anyways. But the longer M'gann focused on the pretty hues, the more they wouldn't sit still. They danced around and morphed into darker blobs. But in seconds they were back. M'gann decided that this was not a good sign, and pressed on to the memories stored in his mind. Specific scenes were on replay and she spared each of them a few seconds. Her attention darted to smaller screen. Her eyes widened as she digested the information. Before she could continue along the images, a blinding white light eurrupted in her vison, and a searing pain ripped through her head, forcing her back into reality. She could faintly hear Conner calling her name, and someone cussing profusly. She opened his chocolate orbs and noticed she was on the ground of the hotel room the team had rented out for the night.

"M'gann! Are you alright?" Her handsome clone asked, the worry seeping from his voice. She put one hand on her forehead and held the other out to Superboy. He helped her sit up and she nodded.

"I'm ok. But I've never encountered a mind like that. I think his subconsious was taunting me..." She said trying to put the experience into words. "Then I stumbled upon his true identity but he realized I was there and he pushed me out. He's good." The others looked around. Artemis looked outside towards her mother, Wally looked at her, Dick looked at him, M'gann watched Robin, Conner watched her and Kaldur stared at the clone.

"Joys. Bad enough my mother is dating an ass hole, but now he's a psychotic too. Great." She muttered. Wally slipped a comforting hand onto her shoulder and vibrating his fingers into her tense skin.

"We'll get him. I promise." She looked at him and for a moment they both forgot the team was with them. His voice had a hardness that was uncommen in the speedster line.

"Wally... Is there something...?" Kaldur motioned for the team to give them a moment of privacy and they shuffled towards the bathroom. That didn't stop them from listening in though.

"A friend of mine was abused by his step-dad a long time ago. I wasn't a superhero then, and I didn't know how to handle the situation. Eventualy my friend just ran away. His step-dad is still out there. Wasn't charged with anything. I am NOT going to let that happen again." He declared. Artemis turned to face him and gave him a hug.

"Thanks. And Wally? Don't ever change ok? I like Kid Idiot far better then Kid Dramatic." The moment they were having ended quickly when Robin leaned against the toilet lever.

* * *

Roy sat alone on a roof watching the police haul away some thugs he had just taken down. It was a quieter evening with only minimal crimes. Nothing like an alien invasion or the end of the world was threatening them tonight, and Roy wasn't the least bit upset. It was a nice feeling to not have the weight of the world on your shoulders. As the thouhgts crossed his mind, a figure moved overhead. Looking up, he saw just in time, the slender figure of Chesire come crashing down ontop of him, throwing most of her wieght on his chest. Well it was still better then the world's weight.

"Hiya handsome." She purred into his ear. While he would deny out loud, inside he could admit he loved it when she flirted with him. Maybe it was because it was a nice feeling, to be wanted, but the fact she was smoking didn't hurt either.

"Get off!" He grumbled attempted to roll her over.

"Why on earth would I do that?" She smirked. Oddly though she complied and let him sit up. He quickly went for his arrows and bow.

"Don't move!" He hissed, sounding a bit like her sister. She removed her mask and grinned.

"As you wish... Arrow boy." Roy blinked a few times before regaining his composure.

"What do you want Jade?"

"As it turns out, I need your help."

* * *

Viola! Hope you enjoyed it! As always advice and ideas are cherished! Review and have a happy holidays!


	8. Chapter 7

Answers. She was finally getting some answers. M'gann had taken a moment to collect herself and figure out exactly what she had seen in Oswald's mind. The team sat in a lopsided cirlce in the hotel room. Wally was sprawled out on one of the beds, Kaldur sitting at attention in a chair, Conner leaning against the leg, M'gann was cross legged on the other bed, Artemis was half sitting, half leaning on the desk and Robin was sitting on the back rest of the last chair with his feet on the cushion. They were all nursing some type of drink, ranging from urbal tea to pop.

"Miss. Martian. Are you ready to begin?" Kaldur asked using her codename, since they were technically on a mission. She gave a breif nod before her eyes went soilidified. Everyone had a sense of vertigo as the hotel room vanished and was replaced by M'gann's mind.

"Here we go." The memory of going inside Norman's mind was played for the rest of the team.

"What are those colours?" Wally asked, poking where he was seeing the lights flashing around.

"They are his aura. Who he is, is personified in those colours. In normal people usually have one or two colours. But this... this is wrong. It's like he's overcompensating for something." Robin snickered and Wally said quietly under his breath something that sounded inappropiatly like 'that's what she said.' Artemis punched his gut and shot Rob a nasty look.

"Can we concentrate please?" Just then the colours faded to black and then came back. "Whoah... what was that?"

"What he was overcompensating for." Aqualad therorized before looking to M'gann for confirmation.

"That's right. I think his subconscience realized I was there and was trying to fool me, but it tried too hard to conceal his true nature. However that took a considerable strain and it couldn't keep it's self hidden. But all that tells us is he's a lying villian. He's probably faced one or two telepath's as well." She summarized. The colours blackened once more before the scenes shifted to his memories.

"So that looks like his first girlfriend... did he just steal her food?" Conner asked, getting angry.

"Looks like it. He's like what? Fourteen there? Where are all the dinosaurs?" Wally muttered as the video played at a slower pace.

"Not funny Wally. Look there, he's in college... and- wait what the hell?" A younger Oswald was yelling at a woman while waving around what looked to be like a diarama.

"I think he's saying that he needs the money now, otherwise she doesn't get her project back. And there goes her money." Robin said squinting at the image trying to read their lips. The image shifted again.

"That looks like Cadmus!" Superboy realized as a middle aged Oswald walked through the halls of a sterile building. "I recognize that place. It's a testing area." Oswald entered a room and sat down on a chair that had several wires stuck into it. Another man in a white lab coat joined him and handed him a syringe. With open-mouthed horror, the team watched as the man in the lab coat injected Oswald with what ever was in the syringe. All the veins in Norman's arm started throbbing and pulsing. Then the veins traveled up into his shoulders and neck. His entire body began pulsating as his blood tracks stuck out against his skin. Artemis held back the urge to vomit.

"Can you speed this up a bit? I think I'm going to be sick." She asked, M'gann was quick to comply and soon the horrible sight was gone, replaced with a normal man sitting in a chair.

"Well that was... nauseating. But what was that for?" Robin pondered aloud. The image stayed on the lab as Norman tested his limbs. Then the man in the lab coat brought out a slab of steel. "...Wait a minute... are they...?" Oswald suddenly yelled loudly and smashed the slab into tiny peices.

"But how?" Superboy wondered aloud a look of shock on his face.

"That must have been some type of super syrum. Something to make him stronger. No wonder he could knock me out that easily. I was begining to think I was slipping." Robin assesed. They watched a bit more showing his strength before the images ended and M'gann became too tired to hold them in her mind.

"Well that was some trip." Wally muttered looking around at the hotel room. They were still all in the same places, but how they were sitting had drastically changed and some of their drinks had ended up on the floor. Wally had his legs over the headboard and his head on a pillow and his Coke had ended up on his shirt. Kaldur had slumped down from his soilder like position untill his back was on the cusion with his water bottle on the ground beside him. Conner was underneath him, lying on his stomach, the iced tea split beside him.M'gann was in a Sleeping Beauty pose, the juice staining the bedspread and Artemis was in a meditative pose ontop of the desk, with her palms flat together near her chest adn her tea cup percariously perched on her knee. Robin had ended up with his head and neck over one arm of the chair and his knees over the other the Root Beer he had tightly capped lying on his chest. Looking around it was difficult not to laugh.

"That can happen when a meeting of the minds is powerful enough." M'gann said smiling at the causual posistion Conner was in.

"So... what exactly have we learned?" Kaldur asked steering their attention back to the matter at hand.

"Number one: Norman Oswald is a lying creep who has a histroy of theft and domestic abuse." Kid Flash said holding up a finger.

"Number two: He was addmitted into Cadmus for some type of treatment." Superboy continued.

"Number three: Said treatment gave him superhuman strength." Artemis added, starting to pace.

"Number four: He was able to detect Miss. M in his mind, something that an ordinary citizen couldn't have done." Robin chimmed in, his wrist computor downloading something.

"Number five: We can conculde that he has had some sort of criminal involvment at one time or another." Aqualad put in. The others nodded in agreement.

"Number six: There is almost no internet presence, despite he has obviously been tested on, which would have been logged on sometype of database." M'gann finished. They let the information settle in their minds before they began to deduce.

"Ok so since it's almost impossible to stay offline, I think it's safe to assume that he is using an alias. But what could his original be?" Artemis began.

"It's probably something that could have easily traced, otherwise he could have kept it right?" Wally asked looking toward Robin.

"Theroretically yes. There wouldn't be much point in changing your name from John Smith into something else." He informed them, typing something on his wrist. "It says here that in the last ten years one hundred and twenty seven people changed their name in D.C. and Gotham. Seventy six were males, and sixty eight were white mid fortys at the time."

"Can we narrow it down anymore?" Kaldur asked. Robin nodded.

"Fifty nine match Oswald's description. Unfortunatly, the records aren't digitally. We'll have to physically go to offices and request to see the forms." Everyone except Kaldur groaned aloud.

"You guys don't have to. I can handle this. You've done enough already." Artemis said, thinking she could just get her father and sister to help her. They could probably get through the files themselves and dig up enough dirt to get him arreseted. That way the team would be out of the whole affair and her family ties would never come into play.

"As if Arty! We're taking this scum bag down if it kills us!" Wally boasted. Artemis was at least touched by his sincerity, and rewarded him with a half smile.

"Why don't we split up? That way we can cover more ground in less." M'gann suggested. Conner slipped his hand into hers, remembering the last time they were split up.

"Agreed. Robin, Artemis and Kid Flash, you take the Gotham files, and Miss. Martian, Superboy and I will Zeta-Beam over to D.C. While we are there, we can inquire about the Cadmus testing." The team nodded and dispersed.

* * *

The Gotham City registary was a complete mess. Aparently no one worked to keep the facitlity in proper order and the files had since became messy and completley randomized.

"Well this is going to be fun." Artemis moaned at the sight of the disaster area call the record room. Robin poked his head into a file cabnit and came back coughing from the dust.

"Well on the plus side we only have thirty files to look through!" Wally said trying to think positivly. "Once we, you know, find them."

"Let's get to it then!" Robin chirped comically diving into a pile of papers. Artemis suppressed a grin and joined her boys in the search.

* * *

The D.C. office wasn't much better. However because the government offices were in a bigger city, the papers were at least in a somewhat organized pile. Still it took them an hour to sort throught the twenty-nine pages. There was two people who changed their names to Norman Oswald in the last two years, both stating their reason for the change was unfair predijuice.

"It is possible his employers arranged a cover up so he was more difficult to track. We shall take both and compare notes with the others." Aqualad decided leading the aliens out of the building. "I beleive looking into Cadmus is the next best course of action." It was a qiuck trip, the noterary was only a few blocks way from Superboy's birthplace. They walked in and spoke to the secretary who was sitting at the front desk.

"What can I do for you kids today?" She asked primly, he eyes never leaving the boy's rippiling muscles. Before Aqualad could answer, Miss. Martian cut him off.

"We need information about testing done at these labs around ten years ago. Can you help us?" She demanded sounding fairly indignant. The woman's eyes flickered to M'gann's face before going back to undressing Superboy mentally.

"Sorry sweety but I don't know if I have clearence." The secretary said with a fake smile pinned on her mouth.

"The find out if you do!" The martain insisted moving to block her veiw of the clone. Now scowling, the lady typed something on her computor.

"What exactly were the tests for?" This time Aqualad managed to get a word in.

"They granted superhuman strength." Keys clacked a few more times and the ladies eyes scanned the screen.

"Four experiments were conducted to find out if a special strain of the syrum Bane uses was pernament and less painful."

"When?" Superboy asked. The secretary smiled seductivly and puckered her lips.

"About seven years ago honey. I bet you were just a little darling back then." Superboy turned away and blushed uncontroably making the lady smile even bigger. Aqualad cleared his throat.

"Who were the test subjects? Could we get a list?"

"Fine." She hit a button and the printer started to life. "If you have anymore questions feel free to drop by my place Supey. I'd _love_ to answer all your questions." As soon as the list was printed, M'gann grabbed the paper and her boyfriend and dragged them outside.

"What a little trampy little UUUUGH!" The distressed Martian exclaimed slamming her foot into the pavement. Conner took her hand and gave her a comforting smile while Kaldur looked over the list.

"Three test subjects were human males. There current adreses are listed. I suggest we each take one and meet back with the other." M'gann and Conner agreed and took a name.

* * *

To make a long story short, the boy had no luck. The subjects were either old men, who admittidly were still as strong as ox, or on their death beds. M'gann on the other hand had far more luck. At the door she was greeted by a middle aged lady with brown hair pulled back into a bun.

"Can I help you?" M'gann had changed her skin tone back to caucasian and dressed herself in a smart white blouse and navy blue pencil skirt.

"Hello, I'm here to enquire about a Mr. Samuel Hinderson. Does he live here?"

"Who are you? Why do you care about my husband?" M'gann peeked into the woman's mind, just a little to see how she should play this.

"I'm here to help you. My friends and I want to bring him to justice as much as you." The lady took in the girl's appearence.

"Aren't you a little young to be involved with that son of a bitch?" M'gann smiled.

"Aren't you a too good a person to be involved with him?" The lady smiled a very small smile and opened the door.

"Come in then." She led M'gann down a hall and motioned for her to sit on a couch. The house was a small cozy bungalo and it was obvious it had received a lot of love. If you squinted hard enough you could see where repairs were needed, but it was always covered with something. Child-like drawings were taped to the walls as though they belonged in the Louve. "I'll be right back." M'gann sat alone for all of three seconds.

"Hi. Who are you?" A young voice asked from behind the couch. M'gann turned around to find a little girl with brown eyes starring back at her. Her brown hair was tied in a ponytail with a thick red ribbon and fell to her shoulder blades. She was wearing a white blouse with a light blue cardigan overtop. Her black skirt went to past her little knees.

"Hello there. I'm Megan, who are you?"

"I'm Haley! Why are you here?" She wasn't hostile, only curious. She had jumped onto the couch beside the Martian and was looking at her expectantly.

"I'm here to talk to your mommy."

"About daddy?"

"Yes. How did you know?" Haley shrugged.

"I don't know. I just got a feeling. Have you been on Earth long?"

"What? W-w-what are you talking about?" M'gann paled.

"You're an alien. A nice alien. You save lives right?"

"No I'm not! I'm just a normal girl!" Haley gave her a skeptical look.

"I'm ten, not stupid. You clearly trying to think up a lie. It's ok, I won't tell!" M'gann gave the little a surprised look making her giggle. When her mother walked back in, she was in peals of laughter.

"What's so funny little one?" Mrs. Hinderson asked her daughter ruffling her hair.

"She's funny!" Haley laughed before running off toward the kitchen. After she was sure her little girl was out of ear shot, the older lady spoke to M'gann.

"Now what's this about Samuel?"

"My friends and I need to know what he can do. What exactly did the experiments do to him?"

"My 'husband,'" she spat out, "volunteered for an experimental drug that was promised to increase strength and stamina, as well as heighten the senses. At first it seemed as though it was a success, but he was a changed person. Harsher, more violent. He always was a bit of a kelpto, but never like this. He became dangerous. One day he just up and left, leaving me and Haley alone. Best thing that had happened since the tests if you ask me!" Mrs. Hinderson spoke as though she didn't care, but being a telepath, M'gann knew exactly how bad it had hurt when her husband had abandoned her.

"Mrs. Hinderson I-"

"Call me Paula." M'gann blinked. She had the same name as Artemis' mother? That was werid.

"Paula, I promise me and my friends will do what ever we can to reverse the effects of the drug. Maybe when we do, you'll get your husband back." Mrs. H shook her head sadly.

"Your heart is in the right place, but nothing's going to bring back my husband."

"Do you know if there was anything that could reverse the drug's effect?"

"Excess levels of Kryptonite would probably do original premise was to create a substitute for Superman." Just then Haley poked her head back inside and opened her mouth to say something. "I think you should go now." M'gann nodded and stood to leave.

"Thank you for your time. If you remember anything else give me a call." M'gann wrote her number down on a napkin and took her leave. Haley waved at her from the window and gave her the biggest and cutest smile the Martian had ever seen. She metally linked the others.

_Can you guys hear me?_

_Loud and clear in Gotham!_

_Superboy and I are also online. _

_Good! You guys aren't going to beleive this!_

* * *

I hope you enjoyed chapter 7! This might be the last chapter till January, but who knows, maybe my family will manage to drive me into my room through out christmas break and I'll have nothing to do but write! Anyways thank you so much to those who reveiwed favorited and followed! If you have any ideas or requests, I'm all ears! :D Untill next time happy holidays! :D

"


	9. Chapter 8

Roy had joined the Gotham search party about two hours in. He said that a friend had sent him, which Robin and Kid Flash had accepted as a perfectly fine excuse. Artemis however was a bit more suspicious and did a quick scan outside for anything to suggest her sister was nearby. Another hour into the search and they had found a whopping total of eighteen forms.

"Who the hell is supposed to be taking care of this place?!" Roy demanded to know as he searched a thick stack of papers. Wally voiced his agreement from the other side of the room, though his voice was muffled from the papers that blocked him from view.

"You guys don't need to stay if you don't want to-" Artemis began before being cut off.

"For the last time 'Mis we're not letting you go through by yourself!" Robin admonished, his eyes never leaving the pages he was scanning. Artemis sighed and nodded before mumbling another thank you. They continued to work for another half hour, praying the others were having more luck. They were immersed in their work, and Red Arrow almost didn't notice the grenade roll in through the open window.

"HIT THE DECK!" The archer yelled throwing himself over top of Robin while Artemis pushed Wally behind a thick wooden desk. The bomb went off, lighting the entire room on fire. By some miracle, none of the team was majorly injured with the worst of it being Roy getting small burns scattered across his back and arms. Robin was up in a flash and tried to get to the door, but was blocked by a stack of burning papers.

"The window! Get to it before it's blocked too!" Kid Flashed yelled, dragging Roy toward it. Robin through down some fire extinguishing pellets and ran behind Artemis to the fire escape outside the window.

"Who knew we'd actually use this thing for a fire!" Wally muttered climbing onto the rusty fire escape. Artemis scanned the roof tops for any sign of the attacker.

"There! Quick before he gets away!" The trope sprinted after the masked arsonist as he booked it across the skyline. Robin took the lead, closely followed by Artemis and Roy while Wally was in the back, unused to chasing people across buildings. Their assailant was clearly no stranger to the rooftops of Gotham though, as he was moving with the same speed and grace as Batman himself. He was not used to being chased though. He kept losing his lead time looking behind him at the young heroes. He didn't even think to worry about the projectiles that they were throwing at him. Roy fired at grappling arrow at the mans feet and sent him sprawling into the ground.

"Nice shot Roy!" Wally cheered, patting the red archer's arm where there wasn't any burn mark. Robin had stalked up to the man, who had snapped the thick cord and was trying to stand up.

"Who are you? Why did you attack us? Where were you going?" The bird interrorgated. The man in black spoke with a voice that sounded suspisiously like one kidnappers use when they talk over the phone to disguise their voices.

"I am me! I only attacked you to displine my ward and I am going to see to it that she get's the message: I'M HER FATHER AND MASTER NOW!" And he hurled another grenade at the young heroes. Kid Flash nicked it out of the sky and quickly set upon disarming it. After it had stoped ticking, and wasn't going to be blowing up, he examined it closer in the dim light before calling out to his friends as they fought the masked man.

"Dude didn't you know someone's already using the sport gimmick?" He taunted throwing the football shpaed bomb at the attacker's head. Artemis felt a growing sense of dread grow in her stomach. They were getting dangerously close to her family origins. "Hey do you think this guy is Sports Master?"

"Can't be! Sports Master is a Shadow assasin. Ra's al Ghul would never let him settle!" Robin called out, dodging a carefully aimed dicus.

"Ha! That ailing twat isn't in my league!" The man cried moving away from the arrows streaking towards him. Artemis' stomache unclenched a bit as she primed another arrow next to her predecessor. Slowly the team encircled their enemy and he ran out of weapons to throw at them.

"You keep telling yourself that Oswald!" Artemis jeered knocking him off his feet with a dull arrow. He growled low in his throat.

"Fine. If I can't disipline you and impress her using Crock's style, I'll just have to use my own!" He jabbed a needle into his arm and shuddered as a blue liquid entered his blood stream. His skin rippled beneath the cloth and the team got a sense of deja vu as the growling turned into cackles. Roy pulled his bow string taught.

"Oh this is bad." He muttered as the laughing man stood up, a new fire in his masked eyes. Releasing the arrow, Roy aimed for the man's chest. To his annoyance, he caught it a centimeter from his skin. "You're kidding me right?" He grumbled, shoulders sagging. Then the arrow was flying towards it's owner causing both Artemis and Red Arrow to duck for cover. "This is just not my night!" He didn't have anymore time to complain though, as Oswald had marched right up to him. "Aw hell." With a sweep of his hand, Roy went flying backwards into a heating duckt.

"Leave him alone!" Artemis yelled firing as many arrows as she could in thirty seconds. None of them did anything to deter him though, and Oswald advanced on the blonde.

"I thought it was made clear," He grabbed the back of her pony tail and hoisted her into the air. "You're not to be out of the house past five." Artemis opened her mouth to spit at him, but a blur of yellow and red slammed into Norm making him release his hold on her mane. She dropped to the ground and rolled into a crouching position that quickly turned into her sprinting over to where Robin was helping Roy to his feet. Wally joined them in a flash.

"Ideas?" The speedster asked. Everyone looked at him. "Ok just checking. So what we keep getting pummeld?"

"We need to figure out his weaknesses then exploit them." Roy rolled his eyes at the younger boy.

"Yeah thanks tips. Never would have guessed." Just something whizzed past the heroes and collided with Oswald. While the boys watched Norm stumbled away from them, Artemis looked up to see a familliar cat themed villianess grinning at her. The archeress quickly looked away and drew her bow.

"Well. I'd love to stay, but I have a _family_ to get to." Artemis cursed in Vietminese and fired one last arrow at his retreating figure.

"Damn. I really hope the others found somthing useful."

_Miss. Martian to Gotham team!_ M'gann said in their heads.

* * *

Much to her surprise, Artemis found that she had beaten Oswald home and that her mother was the only one waiting for her.

"Artemis why do your clothes have burn holes in them?" Her mother asked handing her a cup of tea.

"Well that would be the product of your oh so lovely beau." She replied trying to keep the bite out of her voice. Paula looked at her sternly.

"That is a serious accusation. What-"

"Evidence do I have to back it up? Seriously mom? Cliche much? And since when did you stop believing me?"

"...It's just you not exactly unbiased when it comes to Norman."

"Geez I wonder why? Could it be because he's an abusive asshole who's only interested in Aunties money?"

"Artemis!" Paula adomished. Artemis through up her hands in exasperation.

"It's true! You left dad because he was a con, why won't you kick out this one?!" Paula looked five years older as she took a weary sip of her own tea.

"If he is a criminal, I will not have him under my roof. You are the most important thing to me... despite what I may have said earlier." Artemis heard the guilt in her mothers voice and knelt down in front of her.

"He doesn't deserve you mom." She whispered pulling her into a hug. Paula squeezed her daughter as hard as she dared.

"When my last hiest went south and I lost my legs, I'd feared I'd lost my family as well. When I returned to a single daughter and Lawrence left us, I felt as though I'd failed our family. I am left with the thought that if I had done... more, we would still be together. With Norman came a second chance, one that I will fight for untill the bitter end." Artemis kept her exasperation to herself and made her mother look her in the eyes.

"Oswald is not the man who truly loves you mom. And he is definatly not who is suppose to be in our family. And I think the real guy your suppose to be with is closer then you think." Artemis gave her mom one last hug, and silently vowed to bring Norm to justice.

* * *

The man Artemis thought was Paula's true love was indeed closer then they thought. In fact he was the reason that they were able to have their little chat. Oswald was firing rapid fire punches at the super villian's head.

"What's the matter Sporty? Can't take a hit anymore?" Lawrence gritted his teeth and tired to find an opening to press his own attack. However, for an untrianed and seemingly 'normal' guy, Oswald was giving him a surprisingly hard time.

"Fight with you fists not with you mouth." Sportsmaster grumbled, too busy fighting to bother thinking up a suitable retort. Oswald laughed out loud.

"So why'd you attack me Crock? Mad I sent your little girl running tail between her legs?" The super powered test subject got in a lucky hit and sent Lawrence sprawling into the pavement of the alley they were fighting in. Wiping a trickle of blood from his chin the assasin stood up again.

"If I remember correctly, you're the one who left before the fight was over." Norman laughed again and let Sportsmaster press an advantage.

"I prefer to think of it as a warning. The proper way of teaching a mutt her place." Crock snarled and aimed a kick for his opponent's left knee. If there was something that Lawrence Crock didn't stand for, it was insulting his family. It was an insult to him and his reputation, and most people stupid enough to call it into question ended up in ICU or in a morgue. Oswald wasn't like anyone else however and what blows Sportsmaster did manage to land, had almost no effect. Anyone could have guessed how this fight was going to end and it was not looking good for Sporty. Norman taunted his prey for a few more minutes before apparently getting bored. He fainted a right cross and went for a blow to the blonde man's sterum. Lawrence doubled over in pain and back off a few steps. Oswald advanced with more exact hits, breaking a few ribs. Finally the super strongman ended the fight with a round house to Crock's jaw. "I believe that you were the one to teach dear Artemis that finishing move. Speaking of Crock girls, I'd better go, I have a girlfriend anxiously waiting up for me. Unlike you." After spitting in the fallen man's face, Oswald turned to leave.

"If you touch... either of them... You'll beg me for death! You hear...me!" Sportsmaster gasped out weakly. "You'll pay." Before slipping into the blackness, he heard the other man's laughter.

* * *

When Norm had come in, Artemis had quickly left the room. Something about his triumphant smirk put her on edge, and her gut feeling was telling her that she should put as much distance as she could between them. In her room, she undressed and threw on her pyjammas. Just as she was about to crawl under the covers though, a plushy came sailing through the opened window and smacked her in the face. Jade sat smirking on the window sill looking thouroghly amused.

"What do you want Jade?" Artemis grumbled.

"Just wanted to know if you've found anything new." Artemis debated breifly about holding back what M'gann had told the rest of the team over the mind link.

"He was part of an experiment that granted him super strength and invunerability. His weaknesses are the same as Superman's. He was married before, but being a guinea pig changed him, and he left his first wife behind and moved to Gotham where he changed his name and had several girlfriends. Only one of them filed a report for abuse, but my guesses are that most of them were sujected to it. But here's the best bit: if we can prove to mom that he's not shooting straight, she'll leave him!" Jade's face curled into a smirk.

"Well now we're getting somewhere! I'll go find father dearest and see what evidence we can't scrounge up from the fire eariler today!" Artemis nodded and watched her sister disappear. From the living room, she heard her mother cry out softly.

"Please hurry Jade." She whispered into the night.

* * *

Well I hope you enjoyed chapter 8! This wasn't my favorite chapter to write, but I'm the next one will involve a bit more of the team! Anyways thank you so much for the awesome reveiws! :D It really makes my day! I'm going on a vacation later today so this will probably be the last I can update untill at least the sixth of January! But I will update my other stories today so check those out too! :D Let me know what you thought! :D


	10. Chapter 9

I know I know it's been a really freaking long time. But I was out of the country for a few weeks and I was working on my other stories. Then when I got back I got a nasty comment, and I didn't have the heart to write again for a few weeks. But a friend of mine told me she would personally beat the crap out of me if I didn't finish, (and beleive me she would kick my ass) so I've finally updated! I think there will be one or two more chapters after this and maybe an epilouge. A big thank you to those who reveiwed, followed and favorited or simply just read it. It means a great deal to me! Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

Normally when Jade showed up in the middle of the night, it was cause for alarm. It was almost strange to not lunge for a hunting knife when she entered through the window the next night. The day had been spent trying to get Oswald to admit that he was a supervillian. Needless to say, it didn't work.

"Whatcha been up to baby sis?" Jade asked as she made herself comfortable on her own bed. Artemis sat cross-legged on her own, stretching and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her hair fell over her shoulders like a blanket.

"Same thing I do every night Jade. Try to stop people from taking over the world." She began humming quietly to herself while her sister shook her head.

"I never understood that. Why you would choose the life of hero when you could be getting rich as a Shadow." Artemis rolled her eyes but kept humming.

"Because I don't believe in blood money. And I refuse to wear an outfit that has a window for my cleavage." Jade smirked.

"You know not all villainess's wear outfits like that. Take me for example."

"Oh please. You flirt with every guy you fight. I've heard all about you and Red Arrow." Jade turned the faintest pink but didn't comment. "Anyways I assume you have something for me?"

"Of course..." She said trailing off and fluffing her already fluffy hair. Artemis stopped humming and looked at her sister sharply.

"You haven't found anything? Seriously?" She asked feeling herself deflate.

"Sorry Sis. We looked for ages, but he didn't leave one trace." Jade said before turning to look up at the Alice in Wonderland poster.

"What aren't you telling me?" Artemis asked suspiciously. Jade- no Cheshire looked back at her with a much harder expression.

"I've already told. It's every girl for herself. I have to go. Call me if you ever want to switch sides." Cheshire tried to move toward the window, but Artemis bed was far closer and she blocked it.

"What do you mean? Why now?" She asked feeling hurt and angry again. How many times was her sister going to do this to her?

"I got a job overseas. I do hope you nail this creep though. But now I have to disappear like-"

"The Cheshire Cat. I know. You're good at running aren't you." Artemis said moving away from the window and glaring at her sister. Jade glared back before disappearing into the night.

* * *

It was a task to get out of bed again the next morning. She rolled off of it and landed on the floor with a thump.

"Nuuuuuurgh!" She complained into the floor. Norman poked his head into her room making a vein jump under her eye.

"Hurry up kid. It's almost time for school. And I don't tolerate lateness." He said with a fake pleasant tone. Resisting the urge to throw her pillow at him, the archer simply threw on her school uniform.

The school day didn't register with her. Grayson had to nudge her in every class when the teacher called on her. She barely spoke to anyone and left the second the bell rang. She was in her own room not fifteen minutes after school let out. Luck decided to favor her that day, and both her mother and Oswald were out of the house. A note on the table told her that they wouldn't be back untill supper, which was still three hours away. Decided that this was a golden opportunity for some detective work, she slipped into her mother and Norman's room. She took a few photos of the room so that she could put it back the same way she found it. And with that she began rifling through the room. She worked systematically just like Batman had been instructing the team to. Starting with the obvious places and making her way into the minute detail of the room. Anything that could conceal something or tell her about Oswald was scrutinized and examined. It took her twenty minutes to discover a formal sheet of paper with the seal of her mother's law firm on it.

_I, Norman James Oswald, hereby bequeath all of my saving, research and family to LexCorp and Cadmus. I also give permission for my body to fall into their hands for medical research._

Artemis scanned the rest of the paper and found little else of importance. She figured this was why he went to the law firm a few weeks ago. She turned the paper over and found more writing.

_Norm,  
Your new identity is set. But funding from LexCorp is starting to dry need now is a woman with substantial income to live with so you blend in. If I'm not mistaken, a perfect candidate is coming by in a few days. Why don't you try her out?  
Stan_

Artemis couldn't tell is she was happy or disgusted. On the one hand she had found out why Oswald was so adamant about living with them. But on the other hand she was no closer to finding anything that could prove his criminal intent. She continued her search to find little else of value. Finally she gave up and put everything back in order before deciding to meet her father out on the roof.

He was already there when she got outside, just looking out over Gotham and seemingly deep in thought. He still heard her approach though, and swiveled to face her.

"You're early." He said bluntly. Artemis just shrugged and sat on the edge of the building next to him.

"And you're particularly grumpy looking. I mean more than you normally are. Don't tell me you're upset because Jade left again. I mean I'm not upset anymore and last time it was worse so you can't really be all the mad and-"

"Baby girl." He said quietly. She still heard him though and immediately shut her mouth. "She made her own choices. You can only rely on yourself. But that's the one thing I taught you best. And who knows? Maybe the sidekicks will stick by you. They seem foolish enough to." Artemis didn't even realize that her father had called her friends sidekicks, but focused her gaze along the Gotham skyline.

"I found something out. Oswald is using us for Aunty's inheritance and a place to lay low. Not sure how we can use that to prove to mom he's a sadistic physco, but it's something isn't it?" Her father looked at her. She noticed that his expression was angry but his eyes said determined.

"I don't need to prove anything. I'm getting that bastard away from my family tonight. No matter what your precious Justice League says, he is never coming near another Crock again." Lawrence turned and started walking toward the stairs. Artemis ran and blocked his path.

"No! You can't just go in there and start a fight!" Her father rolled his eyes and tried to shove him out of the way. She held her ground and snarled at him.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do baby girl." He pushed her much harder than before and she lost her balance and fell to the ground. Sportsmaster went for the door to the stair well but when he was about to turn the knob, it opened from the other side. Oswald strode from the door frame and punched Sportsmaster squarely on the nose. The blonde man hurtled backwards toward his daughter. Artemis sprang out of his way and moved to attack Norman. Oswald smiled in anticipation and dodged all of her hits.

"Now, now girl, you should know by now I don't tolerate disloyalty. And fraternizing with this piece of street trash is the ultimate betrayal."

"Are you insane? I know you're only using us for money and a place to blend in! We're like a hotel to you!" Artemis yelled, throwing all her effort in hitting him. Oswald simply laughed.

"That may have been true at the beginning little archer, but it seems that I have fallen in love with your mother. What other woman would give me all that she has? And I am a territorial sort of person, so your meeting with my competition in order to overthrow me is simply unacceptable. You will learn to respect and obey me or you will die." Sportsmaster had jumped back into the fight but neither Crock could land a single blow in their foe. Finally Oswald grew tired of the fight and with stunning speed, his hand shot out and seized Artemis around the throat. Lawrence roared in anger, but Oswald threw Artemis to the ground and pulled Sportsmaster's face into his knee. There was a sickening crack and Lawrence slumped to the ground unconscious. Artemis let out a scream and Oswald silenced her with a kick. He walked over to where Lawrence was lying and knelt down beside him. He pulled out a small knife and was about to plunge it into the blonde man's neck, when the doors to the service elevator opened and there was a clicking sound.

"Drop the knife Norm." Paula said, aiming her crossbow for Oswald's heart. Norman looked at her and gently tossed the knife toward her. It slid to a stop at her wheels. "Now back away from my good for nothing husband." Oswald's expression but he stood up anyways. "I defended you. I told my daughter that you were a good man, and someone who I could trust. I didn't beleive her when she said you had attacked her and her friends. But I should have. You are going to get out of my house tonight. I hope never to see you again." Now Oswald looked downright furious.

"I loved you. I thought you were different from the others. Octavia, Paula, you? All of you and your brats are the same. But I won't let us go without a fight. It's obvious you still have feelings for this," He gestured toward the still knocked out Sportsmaster. "So I am going to prove my superiority. Once and for all." Paula let the crossbow bolt fly, but Oswlad caught it and threw a pellet on the ground at Paula's feet. It exploded and a sleeping gas wafted into Paula's lungs and bloodstream. In five seconds, she was out like a light. He threw Lawrence and Artemis over his shoulders and picked up Paula in a bridal carry and took them downstairs. He piled them all into his car and drove off into the night.

* * *

It had been two days since anyone on the Team had heard from Artemis and three days since Red Arrow had heard anything from Cheshire. Needless to say, Wally was going out of his head with worry.

"Something's wrong! Oswald's done something to her I know it!" He raved. Robin put a hand on the vibrating speeder's shoulder. Kaldur nodded in agreement.

"I beleive you are correct. I don't think Artemis would forget to contact us if she was going to be away from training this long."

"I checked her house yesterday. No one was home, and her bed didn't look she'd sleapt in it for a while." Robin said looking and sounding grim.

"So how are we suppose to find her?" Superboy asked. His arms were crossed and he looked more annoyed then usual.

"She's out of my range on the mind link, but I think I know someone who could help us out." M'gann said looking confidant. Aqualad nodded.

"Alright. Then let's go find our friend."

* * *

So who do you think their going to go to? I hope you enjoyed and I am once again sorry for the wait! The next chapter should be up in a week or less! Untill then, have a happy January!


	11. Chapter 10

Ms. Paula Hinderson wasn't too surprised when Megan returned with her friends. Haley had mentioned that they were going to see each other again soon during breakfast that morning, so the arrival was expected. The fact she had five boys trailing after her was a bit more startling.

"Hello Paula! I hope you don't mind that I brought some friends of mine! This is Wally, Kaldur, Rob, Roy and Conner." The bright red head said. Each boy nodded when their name was mentioned, and Kaldur extended his hand.

"It is good to meet you. Please forgive our intrusion." Ms. Hinderson shook his hand and motioned for the others to take a seat. Megan sat closest to her and looked around the room.

"It's no trouble. But I assume this isn't a social call." Kaldur nodded and the mother noticed how grave the teenagers faces were. Only Megan had close to a smile on her face.

"I am afraid not. A friend of ours has gone missing, and we believe that your husband may have something to do with it."

"Alright but what does that have to do with me? I haven't seen him in a long time." A slightly guilty look passed over Megan's face.

"Actually, it's less to do with you, and more to do with Haley." She admitted. As if on cue, the little girl rushed into the room.

"Here I am!" She smiled, running up to Megan and climbing onto her lap.

"Haley! Haven't I told you it isn't polite to ease drop?" Haley looked down at her lap and put on her best 'I'm sorry' look.

"I didn't mean to..." She said. Ms. Hinderson sighed. Looking at all the worried faces of the teens and then at her daughter the woman nodded.

"Sweetheart, I need to you do what Megan asks you to alright?" The girl beamed and nodded her head very fast before looking over at the alien.

"Remember how you knew who I was? When I here last?" Megan asked. Haley nodded. "Well do you think you can do something like that again for me?" Haley screwed up her face in concentration.

"I think so... what do you need to know?"

"Do you know where your daddy is?" Haley blinked a few times and got a faraway look in her eye.

"Why do you need to find daddy? Is he in trouble?" Megan exchanged a look with the scowling Wally.

"No... but we need to find him. Can you help us?" Haley looked to her mother, who nodded encouragingly.

"I know where he is." Megan looked excited and gave the small girl a hug. "He's in an old bar that the bad men use as a supply room."

"Thank you very much Haley. You may have just save our friend." Kaldur praised making the girl blush.

"Yeah thanks, now come on we need to go now!" Wally exclaimed jumping up.

"Wait." Rob said, giving him a sharp look. "Before we get there, there's something you guys need to know about 'Mis' family."

* * *

Lawrence Crock was not having a good day. Then again, his days hadn't been good since he found out Paula had a new boyfriend. But today was defiantly the winner of bad days. First he woke up with a headache, then he and Artemis got in a fight and then he was kidnapped by his wife's boyfriend. Being kidnapped was a new experience for him. After all, normally he was the one who was kidnapping others. Being on the other side was a weird experience he was not keen on repeating. Currently, Oswald had him chained to wall. His mask was removed but one of his eyes was swollen shut. He saw out of the corner of his good eye, a tell tale head of blonde hair told him that his youngest daughter was tied up on the ground next to him. A quick scan of the room told him that Paula was not with them. Before he could worry about her well being, a harsh smack to the left side of his face reminded him of the reason he was in this predicament.

"Wakey wakey sunshine." Oswald grinned. Lawrence growled and spat at him. His saliva came out bloody. "Tut. Is that any way to treat your successor?"

"You're getting off easy. You'd puke if you knew what I'd do to you if I wasn't tied up." Norman laughed and hit the villain again.

"As imaginative I know you can be, do not forget which one of us is tied to a wall and which one is holding the knife." Lawrence rolled his eyes, or tried to since one of them was too puffy and red to roll.

"Where is she?" Sportsmaster asked quietly, glaring at his competition.

"You mean my soon to be wife? She's resting in the other room. And she isn't your concern anymore. I'll take good care of her."

"You mean by hurting her when she isn't totally subservient to you? Most of my associates are better to their wives then you. Even me." Norman loses his cocky smile for the first time and snarls at him. Lawrence just shrugs his shoulders.

"She needs to know who her master is. Which is difficult when her previous master is still alive." The blonde haired man muttered a few curses and spat at him again.

"You're a sad little man, you know that? I was never Paula's master, and you never will be. Crock girls are their own people." Oswald roared in anger and drew back his fist. Larry squeezed his one eye shut to minimize the damage, but the blow never came. Instead, when he opened his eyes, SM found Norm kneeling by the pile of blonde hair.

"The other road bump in me and Paula's relationship... How can she truly love me when she is still burdened by _your_ offspring?" In an almost loving manner, Norman stroked her hair away from her face while Lawrence struggled against his bonds.

"Get the hell away from her you sick bastard! I'll kill you if you hurt her!" Norman laughed and back handed Artemis across her face. She groaned and started to stir.

"Let's not forget our positions here. You are the one chained to the wall, and I am the one with the power here." Oswlad gloated, propping the archer up next to her father as she woke up. She looked between the men, her head still spinning like a top.

"W-w-what happened?" She asked drowsily, not quite remembering what had given her such a bad headache. Both adults ignored her question and looked at each other instead.

"Let's start with the kids first shall we?" He pulled out a golf club that gleamed in the flourescent light. "After all if everyone thinks it was you who ended up killing your daughter when she tried to stop one of your evil schemes, I'll get off scot free." Lawrence saw red and screamed bloody murder as the club connected with Artemis' body once, twice, three times, four...

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Black spots danced in front of Artemis' vision as she tried to figure out had spoken. An angry yell that sound almost feral assaulted her ears and the club was knocked from her attacker's hands. Impossibly strong arms lifted her gently and carried her somewhere before the black spots clouded her vision.

Lawrence glared at the clone. Project Kr had already taken his baby girl away from the fight and was hopefully keeping her safe, but project Broken Arrow was fiddling with the chains that were rendering him helpless.

"What the hell are you doing?" He demanded. Roy rolled his eyes. Kid Flash, Robin, Aqualad and Miss. Martian were currently distracting Oswald while he freed Sportsmaster. How he always ended up with the short end of the stick, the archer didn't know, but here he was.

"Saving your sorry ass and rescuing my friend."

"Crocks don't need help. Especially not from the Junoir Justice League." The chains feel free and landed at their feet.

"Apparently you do."Sportsmaster growled and spat and roughly shoved past the archer. "You're welcome by the way." Red Arrow muttered.

"Go find Paula and keep her and Artemis safe!" The villain yelled. "This piece of garbage is mine." The partners who were fighting him slowly backed off. Sportsmaster picked up the discarded golf club and pulled an extra mask out of his back pocket. A few seconds later the team had left and the men were left alone.

"Isn't this cute. You're trying to defend your place as Paula's lover. How quaint. I will take pleasure in killing you a duel."

"Take your best shot pretty boy." Oswlad came at Sportsmaster like a train. His fist swung toward the spot where the blonde's head was moments ago. Lawrence ducked under the fist and used the hand that wasn't holding the golf club to jab at Norman's stomach. The under armor the greater of two evils was wearing protected him from the jab, but now Sportsmaster knew where the latch was. They traded blows, each only barely avoiding the others attacks while the younger heroes tended to their wounded. Superboy had carried Artemis' unconscious form into the back room where he found a frail woman laying on a king sized bed that was surrounded by flickering candles. Gingerly placing Artemis on the end of the bed, he contacted the team.

_I think I found Artemis' mom_

The others joined him quickly. Wally went straight to Arty and started lightly dabbing the still bleeding wounds with a damp cloth.

"Please be okay, please be okay." He whispered. Robin hacked into the security system and pulled up the feed of the bad guy's fight. Aqualad, Red Arrow and Superboy watched it while Miss. Martian examined the other lady lying on the bed.

"I think Superboy's right. This must be Artemis' mom... She looks like Cheshire." Roy looked over and nodded quietly.

"You don't think she's here right? Because we should find her if she is." Robin shook his head.

"If she was, she'd probably be with Artemis and her dad in the main room." Norman got in a particularly good hit and Lawrence went sprawling backwards. Those watching winced a little. "He's not feeling the aster in there is he?" Conner scowled and looked at his girlfriend who was trying to revive Mrs. Crock. Slowly, the ex-con started to stir.

"W-w-where am I?" M'gann placed a comforting hand on hers.

"It's alright. We're friends of Artemis. We're here to help."

"Norman! Is he, where is my family?" The Viteminese lady demanded not looking so frail anymore. Wally looked away from Artemis for the first time and readjusted himself so that she could see her daughter. Silent tears welled up in Paula's eyes as she looked at the dark bruises blossoming on her youngest daughter's skin. "Của tôi cô bé." Paula said quietly.

"Don't worry, I think it's mostly cosmetic. The ass was looking to draw it out, not make it quick for Sporty." Wally said, a little uncertainly. Paula nodded and used the bed sheets to pull herself closer to her kin. A few moments later it became apparent something was very wrong. Kid Flash pressed his ear to Artemis' chest. His blood ran cold when he realized she had stopped breathing and her heart was barely beating.

* * *

Meanwhile, the fight was not going in Sportsmaster's favor. The blonde man had managed to get the under armour off, but that's when Oswald decided to utilize possible the most powerful weapon known to heroes and villains alike; the taunt.

"Why do you persist in fighting? After all, you abandoned them once, you'll do it again!"

"Shut up." Lawrence threw an angry left jab, but it was poorly timed and easily blocked.

"Besides, I am a far better man to Paula then you ever were! Didn't you see how unhappy she was?"

"I may have been a rotten family man, and a worse coach, but I never laid a hand on any of my family! Having a wife does not make you her master! And you're a piece of trash for thinking so!" The golf club had been long since knocked from his grasp, but the master of sports had a pair of brass knuckles in his back pocket and enjoyed crashing them into his rival's ribs. The super powered man didn't even react.

"And you are a weakling who I will crush. And after you're beneath my boot, I'll solidify my relationship with Paula by getting rid of you're precious baby girl!" With a renewed vigor, Oswald advanced on Lawrence and soundly beat him into the ground.

"Now would be a good time for a little hero support." He muttered. None came however, as the partners were busy trying to get Artemis' heart to restart.

"You will die knowing that Paula is mine, and that she doesn't love you anymore." Oswald picked Crock up by his throat and started to squeeze.

"Fine kill me, but stay the hell away from my wife!" He growled, his anger flashing at the thought of the woman he loved being trapped in an abusive relationship.

"Just know that Artemis is next!" Lawrence started to struggle again, but Oswald's grip was too strong. Just before he fell unconscious, a small voice rang through his ears.

"Daddy?" Haley asked from the doorway, clutching a teddy bear. Norman's eyes went wide and he threw Lawrence aside, who coughed loudly as air returned to this lungs.

"Haley? Is that you?" The little girl, who looked terrified out of her mind, gave a tiny nod.

"Daddy, what are you doing? Why are you hurting people?" She asked, tears spilling out of her eyes and down the front of her lacy pink shirt.

"I-I- no... Haley... my daughter. Before the experiment... my family... Paula..." Norman Oswald stepped back, clutching his head.

* * *

One electric arrow and two rounds of CPR later, Artemis was no longer at death's door, and the Team realized that Sportsmaster was being slowly killed by Oswald and were rushing into the main room.

_Miss Martian! What is happening? _Kaldur asked. M'gann hesitantly swept Oswald's mind.

_I don't believe it. Remember when we were in his mind before, and we thought we was overcompensating for something? He wasn't compensating, his subconscious was hiding something. Specifically, another personality._

Kid Flash looked at Oswald, who was stumbling backwards. _What do you mean another personality?_

_Before the experiment, Mrs. Hinderson said that her husband was a loving person. The experiment must have caused a spilt personality to emerge. When it took over his mind, that's when abandoned his family and went off with Miss. Lafonda-Jones! _Robin realized.

_And the reason he's so in love with Artemis' mom is because she has the same first name as Mrs. Hinderson! His original personality was trying to get back control. _Conner thought. Norman was on his knees very close to where Sportsmaster was trying to stand.

_But only the presence of his lost daughter was able to shock the original personality back into control. _Kaldur finished.

_I think he needs some help to stay in control!" _Roy suggested. M'gann nodded and went in to the man's mind to help get rid of Norman Oswald.

"Daddy!" Haley shrieked as Samuel Hinderson sat up. His head was pounding and his memory was foggy at best. When on earth did Haley get to be so big? He embraced his daughter tightly as tears stained the back of his already quite filthy shirt. Then a shadow passed over them and Sam found himself staring up into the murderous eyes of Sportsmaster.

"You are never, going to touch my family, ever, again!" The Team pulled out weapons, and went to subdue Lawrence. The blonde man fought back, while the father and daughter clung to each other for dear life. Finally, Sportsmaster's angry tirade was stopped by a bedraggled archer being supported by a grinning cat.

"Dad. It's over." She said, fighting to stay awake. Jade nodded and Paula wheeled herself into the room.

"Lawrence." In seconds, the mercenary crossed the room and engulfed his family in maybe the second hug they had ever had from him. The eldest daughter tensed and watched him suspiciously, but Artemis and Paula melted into the embrace. The Team helped up Samuel and his daughter and looked at the Crock family.

"So do we tell Artemis we know about her family?" Wally whispered to Dick.

"If she doesn't remember us knowing, I say we leave it be. She'll tell us when she's ready." The speedster nodded.

"So what do we do about Sportsmaster and Cheshire? Do we let them go?"

"Let them have their family moment, and then we'll give them five minutes head start." Roy said coming up behind them.

Lawrence released his girls and looked them all in the eye. "I was a terrible husband and a worse father. But Paula, I still love you." The disabled lady shook her head through her tears.

"I know. I love you too." Artemis and Jade both stuck out their tounges and the elder girl moved them both toward the Team to give their parents some room.

"Paula I-"

"Shh. I know. I also know I can't ask you to give up the life, but promise me you'll visit?" Lawrence nodded and pulled his wife into a tight hug again/

"So how come your back?" Artemis asked weakly as she sister handed her off to Kid Flash.

"Now that would be telling!" She grinned before slipping behind Red Arrow, kissing him and then disappearing.

"Of course it would." The blonde mumbled while trying to keep her drooping eyelids open.

"Hey guys we need to get going here. Arty needs some medical attention!" Wally called. Kaldur nodded before turning to where Sportsmaster and Paula were still hugging.

"Sportsmaster, you are-" Before anyone could blink, Crock kissed his wife, threw down a smoke bomb and disappeared. The leader sighed. "Nevermind. Miss. M, take Haley back to her mother while we bring her father in for a debriefing." M'gann nodded and scooped up a reluctant Haley into her arms.

"Promise you'll come back this time Daddy?" Samuel nodded.

"I promise baby!" M'gann flew off and the man looked at the others. "I assume we have some things to discuss."

"That's an understatment." Roy muttered before they all headed off for the Cave.

* * *

Only the epilogue left! Thank you so much to those who followed, favorited and reviewed! :D


	12. Epilouge

It was impossible to tell whether Batman was pleased or not. One the hand he was happy that a psychologically disturbed man was able to be rehabilitated without having to go to Arkam, but on the other, the Team had acted without consulting an adult and nearly gotten Artemis killed. Not to mention Sportsmaster and Cheshire disappeared without a trace.

When the Team had first gotten back from the mission, it got a bit chaotic. Green Arrow was picking Canary up for a date, and went berserk at Artemis' fairly bruised and bloody appearance. After the Team had disembarked the Bio-Ship, Oliver had pounced on Artemis and dragged her to the Med Bay. Then after reassuring him she was fine twelve times, they explained who the strange man was and why he was in the Cave. It took them almost an hour and a half to calm Green Arrow down enough to understand exactly what was going on, but in the end everyone was caught up.

"You mean to tell me, you've been living with an abusive man for almost two months and you didn't even tell me?" Oliver fumed, sounding equally hurt and angry. Artemis cringed. Dinah was quietly cleaning up her wounds in a recovery room while the Team stayed with Mr. Hinderson and spoke with Batman in the hangar.

"I'm so sorry Ollie, I thought I could handle it on my own!" She said guiltily. The archer sighed and pulled her into a hug.

"I know sweetie. I just wish you didn't." Dinah smiled and silently slipped out the door and went to see how the others were.

Samuel Hinderson felt awful. He had known exactly what he was doing, but was unable to stop himself. Back when he was living with Octavia, he had enough control to stop himself from hurting her and her niece too badly. But after he moved in with Paula and Artemis he had almost lost complete control. His desire to be with his own Paula had won over any self control he still possessed. It was just lucky that Sportsmaster was related to the heroine and her mother. Sam didn't like to think what would have happened if the didn't have criminal connections. All he knew was now he would take what punishment he was given. He just hoped Haley could forgive him.

"Do you deny what the Team has said?" Batman asked. Samuel shook his head. "Then I have no choice but to arrest you for your crimes." Sam just held out his hands and bowed his head.

"Wait!" Cried a femine voice. Miss Martian flew into the Cave at top speed. "It's not really his fault!"

"Megs, Artemis is in the medical ward with a serious concussion because of him." Wally said with tightly folded arms.

"I know. But that was Norman Oswald. This is Samuel Hinderson." She stated.

"You're suggesting that he has a split personality disorder?" Batman asked.

"Yes. When he went through the LexCorp testing, I think a dormant personality was awoken and it started to take control over the previously dominant side." She explained.

"So? He's a knock off of Two-Face. We'll send him to Arkam instead of Reve." Wally muttered. Bats gave her a look and Robin sadly gazed at her.

"If this is true, it does not relieve him of his wrong-doings. It simply changes the circumstances." He sighed. Miss. Martian did not look happy with this.

"That's not fair! He was fighting back against the other side and for the most part was able to stop himself from doing the unspeakable! And he has a little girl whose waiting up for him! You can't take a child's father away from her!" The Martian seemed to be on the edge of tears, and Wally's harsh frown disappeared.

"It's alright Miss. Martian. I knew what I was doing, but I could barely help myself. I deserve some sort of punishment. Even seeing Haley one last time was enough for me." Batman looked at the sad man and internally sighed.

"I have an alternate suggestion."

* * *

A few weeks later and Artemis was finally allowed to start training again. She was released from the medical ward fit for service a week and a half ago, but both Paula and Oliver demanded she stay on rest for a while longer.

The first night she came home, she had found a stuffed cat beside the baseball cap her father had given her all those nights ago. There was a sticky note telling her that Jade would be watching out for her and while Artemis didn't actually believe it, she still smiled and slept with the cat tucked under her arms that night. When she woke up the next morning, she caught her mother and father talking by the door.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Lawrence asked with more care in his voice then Artemis had ever heard.

"Don't be silly. I'll be fine. You go to work." Paula smiled. Lawrence gave her one last worried look and left.

"Was that dad?" Artemis asked, making her presence known.

"No. That was the other Lawrence." Her mother sassed. Artemis rolled her eyes and started to make her breakfast tea.

"So what was he doing here?"

"He's been visiting while you were recuperating. I think he feels guilty."

"He loves you still, you know that right."

"I do. You and Jade too you know." Artemis smiled as the kettle screeched.

"Yeah I know."

Now that she was finally allowed back on patrol with Green Arrow, she pulled on her costume and made her way out her window. However she headed in the opposite direction of the Zeta Tube. Instead she made her way over to the Wayne Gardens Halfway House. Landing a little less gracefully then she would have liked on a rooftop across from the apartment complex, she watched as a perky brown haired girl skipped outside, closely followed by her mother.

"So they finally let you out huh?" Asked a gravelly voice.

"No I'm the clone Cadmus created." Artemis said dryly, not taking her eyes off the little girl.

"Charming." Sportsmaster muttered, watching the girl just as intently.

"I'm not going to let you kill him. I don't care how damaged you stupid 'rep' is." Artemis said after a while.

"Who said I wanted to kill him?"

"Please. I know how you think. But I'm not letting you take that little girl's father away. She just got him back." She spun around to look at him. Sportsmaster paused before replying.

"Alright. But only because you're mother would kill me for it." His baby girl smiled a little and turned to look back at the halfway house. Hinderson wasn't allowed to leave the building without supervision and had intense counseling for six hours a day, but he was still able to see Haley everyday. When she first heard of his 'punishment,' she was furious. Didn't anyone understand what he put her and her mother through? But Wally had taken her aside and pointed out what M'gann had told them all. He also admitted that he pushed for a harsher punishment. And after seeing how happy Haley was to see her dad again, Artemis had to admit he wasn't the same man who had beat her with a golf club.

When she turned around again to say something else to her father, he had disappeared. In his place was baseball. Cautiously picking it up, she noticed it was special. A signed Babe Ruth baseball might have seemed cliché to anyone, but to Artemis it was incredibly generous. It was the closest thing to an 'I love you' she was ever going to get from the man. As she propelled herself across the rooftops, she couldn't help but feel glad that their truce still seemed to be holding.

* * *

The End

* * *

It's over! I`m not too sure I like the ending, so I may go back and change it a tad but I wanted to get this out to you guys! I`m super sorry this took so long, I was just so unmotivated to write! My bad! Anyways THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading this story and especially to those who stuck with it the entire way! Honestly I couldn`t ask for a better reception! Untill next time my friends pray for Young Justice and never lose hope! Even if YJ is cancelled, I promise I`ll still be writting stories if the ideas come to me! Good night!


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